There has been a lot of hard work over the three or four months since my last update, much of which came to a head in the month of December. I would like to take this opportunity to update you on the School's progress in establishing a satellite campus in Asheville.

• A letter of substantive change to SACS has been written and awaits the chancellor’s signature.
• An ACPE document of substantive change is in its final review phase and should be complete by mid-January.
• Facility needs for fiscal year 2012 have been identified, and this information has been conveyed to UNC Asheville so that space can be reserved for the spring semester and appropriate modifications made for use by early July. We hope to have forty-five days to test the equipment before going live August 20.
• Carla White Harris organized a number of information and recruiting sessions in western North Carolina this fall. We had approximately twenty applicants select only the Asheville campus on their application. We interviewed thirteen students in Asheville and have sent acceptance letters to ten candidates. More students — those who have designated any campus on their admission application — will be interviewed as we go into 2011.
• A technology-design firm has been selected, and the final touches are being placed on the plans for classrooms needed for fiscal year 2012.
• A total of $1.55 million in private money has been designated for this project, with another $2.3 million in grant proposals pending.
• The overall budget for the year ending in 2016 requires $14.3 million. When all sources are considered, the profit-and-loss projection shows that we will reach the annual breakeven point by 2015 with a total of 125 students. The overall budget through the first graduating class shows a loss of less than $600.
• Faculty and staff positions and the organizational chart are all in the final stages of being created. We hope to post positions in the coming days.
• The Oversight Committee — composed of the heads of the organizations that are working with us to establish this campus — met in mid-December with Dean Blouin presiding as chair. There were no real issues to address, and everyone seemed pleased with the progress.

Kevin Almond, RPh

Interim Executive Associate Dean for Asheville