The Reporter, December 2011

The Reporter is a publication produced by Western Carolina University featuring news, events, and campus community updates for faculty and staff. The publication began in August of 1970 and continues digitally today. Click on the link in the “Related Materials” field to access recent issues.SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home December 6, 2011 Email This Post Print This Post Share | Fred Hinson talks with a student at the Alumni Tower. TOP STORIES Award-winning professor, faculty leader and administrator to retire after 45 years Interim provost Beth Lofquist will never forget the advice Fred Hinson, the soon-to-retire senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, gave her when she was having a tough day. “‘Now Beth, the state of North Carolina pays us to be kind and nice, so you need to put on that North Carolina smile and handle it in a way that you can be kind and nice and still get the job done,’” said Lofquist. “That’s great advice.” For Hinson, who taught in WCU classrooms for nearly three decades before being asked to work full time in administration, the “North Carolina smile” is part of the philosophy he embraced during his more than 45 years on the faculty and staff at WCU. He will retire effective Jan. 1, and a reception and dinner are planned in his honor for Wednesday, Dec. 14. “I tell everybody who works for me that this is our philosophy: ‘The state of North Carolina pays us to be kind, nice and supportive, and to be caring and sharing with all students,’” said Hinson. “’We are here to help students be successful, so I expect you to put the North Carolina smile on when you walk into the building, and when you walk out of the building, ask yourself, ‘Have I had my North Carolina smile on? Have I really supported and helped students be successful today?’” Hinson’s colleagues say he certainly has – not just work hours Monday through Friday but also evenings and weekends, when needed. As an assistant and then associate professor, he taught courses including biology, microbiology, botany, human anatomy and physiology, and biochemistry. As a faculty leader, he served as a delegate and then chair of the Faculty Assembly for the entire University of North Carolina system. His platform was centered on developing cooperative, productive relationships between faculty and UNC system administrators. Later as a WCU administrator, he served as director of general education and in interim and permanent positions that led him to be responsible for areas including undergraduate admissions and offices of the registrar, financial aid, student support services, advising, orientation, career services, disability services and the One Stop counter. He is credited with helping bring many compatible units together in the One Stop Student Service Center, and for service on committees that helped establish nursing and physical therapy programs at WCU. He co-chaired the committee that led to the founding of the WCU Honors College, the first residential honors college established in the UNC system. Those who have worked closely with Hinson, been mentored by him, or been a student in his classroom say he is deserving of his many awards and honors including the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award, the Paul A. Reid Distinguished Service Award for Faculty and, years later, the Paul A Reid Distinguished Service Award for Staff. Brian Railsback, dean of the Honors College, says the kind of work Hinson has done as an administrator may be behind-the-scenes and not necessarily headline-grabbing, but it is critically important to the university. “Fred is the kind of student-centered, highly organized and extremely knowledgeable administrator that is essential to the well-being of the university,” said Railsback. Lofquist says Hinson has dealt with more difficult situations than most people realize, and done so with dignity and while maintaining the dignity of the people he’s talking to, holding the line when he needs to and bending when it’s appropriate. “He is a man who has given heart, mind and soul to the institution for 45 years, and people who do that become our cornerstones and a wealth of institutional knowledge,” said Lofquist. “It’s not just about the institutional knowledge. It’s about the institutional heart, and the history of that heart.” Coming to WCU What began as the Concord native’s pursuit of a career in medicine evolved into pursuit of a career in academia after he discovered as a college lab assistant an aptitude and passion for teaching. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry in 1960 from Catawba College, a master’s degree in zoology centered on physiology in 1963 from the University of Arkansas, and a doctorate in biology centered on microbiology in 1970 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He was excited to land a teaching position at CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Fred Hinson (center) enjoyed teaching students for nearly 30 years. Fred Hinson ... Virginia Tech, where he stayed for four years, while pursuing his doctorate. “At the time, scientists teaching were in demand,” said Hinson. Having always dreamed of living in Western North Carolina, where his family had vacationed, he accepted a job in 1966 as an assistant professor of biology at what was then Western Carolina College. Hinson said about half of the 100 faculty serving about 1,200 students were new that year, and only about half of the new faculty stayed for a second year. Hinson, too, wondered if he should stay after experiencing culture shock at Western Carolina after teaching military cadets at Virginia Tech. “There, they wore uniforms and said ‘yes, sir,’ and ‘no, sir,’” said Hinson. “Here, it was blue jeans, and I thought, ‘What have I gotten myself into?’” Key to his teaching success, he said, was enthusiasm and connecting with students. He made a point to learn their names – even when there were 200 in his class. He stood outside to greet them as they arrived and let them know how glad he was they were there. “I would say, ‘If I felt any better, I couldn’t stand it!’” he said. “You have to be enthusiastic – excited. You have to let students know, ‘I care about you.’” He also maintained high expectations and had a strict attendance policy – stricter than the university policy required, and some students complained loudly that it was unfair. To his surprise, some of the grumblers thanked him later in the semester, crediting their success in the class to his expectations. One of his students, 1981 WCU graduate Karen Register, said she remembered losing points for not italicizing a scientific name. “We were up in arms about it, but that made an impression on me,” said Register, now a research microbiologist at the USDA National Animal Disease Center. “I still think about the importance of details when I write papers and textbook chapters.” Register recently reached out to Hinson to let him know that he had made a difference in her life. She said she had not planned to become a microbiologist and only took his microbiology course because it was required. “I expected to like the class, but I wasn’t expecting to really get excited about microbiology,” said Register. “But through his excitement about information and the way he presented it in the classroom, if you were into science at all, you couldn’t help but think, ‘Wow! This is really cool!’ He was one of those professors you felt was really accessible and willing to talk to you about almost anything. You could sense he was really interested in his students and wanted them to succeed.” Beyond the classroom Outside the classroom, Hinson became an advocate for enhancing conditions for faculty and students – whether he intended to or not, in some cases. Frustrated with the inability to speak privately with students in shared faculty offices that lacked telephones, he asked Chancellor H.F. “Cotton” Robinson during one of the chancellor’s visits to faculty in the 1970s for permission to have a phone installed in his office and offered to pay for it himself. At the time, when faculty members received a telephone call in the department office, someone would have to walk down and summon them to take the call. “The chancellor said he didn’t know but that he would get back to me,” said Hinson. “I didn’t think he would, but before the fall semester started, Rick Harrison (biology professor) came in and said, ‘Fred, Dr. Robinson called me and said, ‘Rick, we are going to put phones in all of the faculty offices in the biology department.’ Word spread around the campus, and within two years, we had phones in every office.” Hinson also shared his expertise with new faculty members as a faculty mentor. Railsback, who signed up for the faculty mentoring program in 1990, said Hinson reached out to him to meet on a regular basis. “Fred was a real confidante who I could trust and someone with great advice on how to navigate university politics,” said Railsback. He credits that kind of relationship to helping him make tenure and, unknowingly, preparing him to be an administrator. “Fred let me know, early on, how the university as a whole works,” said Railsback. “In so many important ways, Fred’s mentorship has been invaluable over the years.” In addition to mentoring faculty, Hinson also was serving as a delegate on the UNC Faculty Assembly. Becoming frustrated with the way the organization seemed to approach initiatives with system administrators with a sense of “us” and “them,” Hinson decided to run for chair in 1989 against representatives from Appalachian State University, UNC Chapel Hill, East Carolina University and North Carolina State University. “I thought ‘I don’t have a chance,’” said Hinson. “‘I got up and I said, ‘I am tired of ‘us’ and ‘them.’ How are we going to be effective if we keep this attitude? They have the power. We are advisory to the president. Why don’t we come up with ideas that are reasonable and work to find solutions together.’” He won, and served for two years as chair of the group – a job that required at least monthly trips to Chapel Hill to meet with the Faculty Assembly, the Board of Governors and top administrators. He was excited to be part of initiatives including getting the ball rolling on developing what became the UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award. “I think that’s one of the biggest positives in my career – trying to make sure faculty and administrators work together,” said Hinson ... through ... ... the years. Fred Hinson (second from left) talks with students at the Alumni Tower. Moving into administration As Hinson was given increasing administrative responsibilities, he was faced with a decision that meant leaving the classroom, where he had continued to teach part time as he served in interim roles as assistant and then associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. “It was really tough to give up teaching to go into administration,” said Hinson. “I enjoyed walking into the classroom and being with the students. I tried very hard to make sure I gave them my all.” As an administrator, he earned a reputation for his integrity, his gentlemanliness, his effectiveness, his leadership, his people-skills, his commitment to quality and his wisdom. Lofquist said she remembered meeting with Hinson when faced with a situation in which she discovered that none of the six literature courses completed by one of her senior advisees, who had changed majors several times, was the specific literature course required for graduation. Lofquist, who strongly felt the student had fulfilled the spirit of the literature requirement, sought a waiver and worked through the chain of approvals until the last person to approach was Hinson, whom she was warned was not likely to support her request. Nevertheless, Lofquist set up a meeting. “He said, ‘Beth, in the history of this institution, we have never waived the literature requirement.’ I said, ‘Dr. Hinson, I understand, and I will be the first to say students need to abide by the rules, and we have requirements in liberal studies for a reason, but I feel like this student has met the spirit of the rule,’ and I explained why.” The two discussed the matter in detail, with Hinson ultimately agreeing to support the waiver. “I can’t tell you how scared I was, and I did not think his decision was lax. I thought it was a time when it warranted waiving the rule,” said Lofquist. Railsback said when challenged to develop a plan to establish an honors college at WCU within a year, Hinson selected a committee, co-chaired by Railsback, with the right mix of talents and personalities to achieve the goal. The group visited other institutions and completed a proposal within months. The college opened in the fall of 1998 with 75 students and has grown to more than 1,400 students. Hinson said it has proven to be an important tool for recruiting too. “Truthfully, I think the establishment of the Honors College has helped transform this university into a quality university,” said Hinson. “Of all the significant initiatives that I’ve been associated with, this, I would say, is the most important in helping the university get where we are today.” When Hinson became director of enrollment management in 2003, he toured and spent time with each unit and its manager to gain an understanding of the opportunities and constraints faced in each area, said Phil Cauley, director of student recruitment. With admissions, specifically, he saw how records were stored on different floors, recruitment material was in a warehouse and the space lacked a presentation area. Hinson visited sister institutions and took key WCU administrators, including the chancellor, on a tour of the admissions unit. “Dr. Hinson is the primary change agent that allowed the Office of Admission to acquire renovated space within the Cordelia Camp Building, and because of his efforts, the Office of Admission has been able to expand daily campus tour opportunities – more than 300 scheduled tours per year – and provide an enhanced first impression of the campus to prospective students and their parents, which has been instrumental in increasing the size and quality of the entering freshman class,” said Cauley. Looking back, looking ahead Hinson can describe the ebb and flow of enrollment growth over the past four decades, and how Western Carolina College became Western Carolina University and then joined the University of North Carolina system in 1972. He can discuss what he learned from the half-dozen university chancellors under which he has served, and how they helped shape the institution. “We have had some very good chancellors, and each time, it has been different,” he said. “Each has been the right fit for the decades they were here, and I’m anxious to see what will happen with Chancellor (David O.) Belcher. He’s facing challenges like we had when Dr. Robinson came in.” When Hinson first arrived on campus, he remembers faculty orientation meeting in a commonly used Reynolds Hall room and how Helder and Leatherwood residence halls, as well as Dodson Dining Hall, were brand new. “They moved into them in August and the summer of ’66, so to see them torn down recently broke my heart, but it also makes me glad to see how that transformed the campus into one of the most beautiful UNC campuses there is,” said Hinson. When Hinson retires, he will have accrued, with vacation and sick time, 46 years and six months of service to the state of North Carolina. “I said I was going to retire by the time I was 75, and I’m 74,” he said. “Also, with the new chancellor and a new provost coming in, they need to build their team to move forward.” Hinson said he looks forward to meeting his sons at various locations around the globe in the coming years and continuing their baseball game tours traditions. In addition, he plans to continue enjoying being an active part of the Western Carolina University community. “I have had a wonderful career here,” said Hinson. “The main reason I stayed at Western over the years is the people here – the students, the administrators and the staff, and it is the people that I look forward to seeing and supporting in the years to come. I plan on being a very good Western Carolina University citizen – a big supporter.” CELEBRATE FRED HINSON’S SERVICE Fred Hinson, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, will retire from WCU effective Jan. 1 after more than 45 years of service. A reception will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, in Illusions in A.K. Hinds University Center. The reception will be followed by a dinner at 6 p.m. in the Grandroom of A.K. Hinds University Center. Dinner reservations and payment will be accepted by Anne Aldrich at aaldrich@wcu.edu or 560 H.F. Robinson Building, Cullowhee, N.C., 28723, through Wednesday, Dec. 7. The cost of dinner is $15, and several entrée selections are available. Cash and checks (made payable to Auxiliary Services) will be accepted. For more information, contact Aldrich at aaldrich@wcu.edu or 828-227-7495. Also, colleagues, students, alumni and friends are encouraged to send stories, notes and cards for inclusion in a scrapbook in honor of his retirement by Wednesday, Dec. 7. Items for the scrapbook should be directed to Dina Towey by e-mail at dtowey@wcu.edu or by mail at 137 Killian Annex, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723. MORE ABOUT HINSON “At the heart of Dr. Hinson’s advocacy is his passion for WCU and his heart for students.” – Phil Cauley, director of student recruitment “Fred is a tremendous role model for anyone in higher education. His commitment to all students, whether pursuing resident campus or distance campus programs, is without question. It’s often easy to focus on main campus students, and miss distance campus student needs; they are, in some ways, invisible scholars on many campuses. This is not the case at WCU. Dr. Hinson focuses on Western students, all types, and the quality of their academic support and experiences. His presence will be felt at WCU long after his retirement.” – Regis M. Gilman, interim dean, Division of Educational Outreach “Fred is a consummate professional. He operates with the highest level of integrity, and when he tells you something, you can take it to the bank.” – Gibbs Knotts, interim dean, College of Arts and Sciences “When we served together on the search committee for a director of the newly established physical therapy program, I remember another search committee member describing Fred as the epitome of a Southern gentleman. And it is so true. He has never failed to respond to any request I have made and always done so in a timely way … and with a smile. He seems always gracious and kind … and competent to handle the challenging tasks of higher education administration but responsive to everyone.” – Karen Lunnen, head of the physical therapy department “Fred should write a book on what it takes to be an effective leader and administrator in the field of higher education. His wisdom, experiences and insights that he could share in such a book would be a great resource for college and university administrators at all levels. He enjoyed our respect and loyalty because he did not simply talk the talk, he walked the walk with our office. I am so thankful my path crossed his here at WCU. I don’t know of anyone who has contributed more in such a variety of ways than Fred has to this institution.” – Don Livingston, professor of political science and public affairs By Teresa Killian Tate © 2011 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home December 6, 2011 Email This Post Print This Post Share | TOP STORIES Chancellor installation ceremony set for March 29 David O. Belcher will be formally installed as chancellor of Western Carolina University during a traditional ceremony capping a week of activities in late March designed to highlight and celebrate the accomplishments of the university’s students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners. Tom Ross, president of the University of North Carolina system, will preside at the ocial installation ceremony, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 29, in the Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center. The installation ceremony is the traditional academic ritual at which the chancellor takes the oath of office. The event is typically attended by UNC system ocials, state legislators and other elected state and federal ocials, academic delegates from other institutions across the nation and around the world, representatives of professional organizations and honor societies, and members of the campus and surrounding communities. A 30-member steering committee is in the process of planning other installation week activities centered on the theme “Dening our Future in Pursuit of Distinction,” said Beth Tyson Lofquist, interim provost and co-chair of the committee. “This will be a week to honor and recognize not only our new chancellor and his wife, Susan, but also to express our appreciation to our friends and neighbors throughout our community and region that we serve,” Lofquist said. “It also will be a celebration of all that Western Carolina is and all that this university has to offer.” Other installation week activities are still in the planning stages but are expected to focus on the academic, creative and athletic talents of WCU students, faculty and staff, said Dianne Lynch, chief of staff and committee co-chair. “We have so much talent on this campus that we want to showcase,” she said. “Our faculty, staff and students w