University of North Carolina Asheville Retirees Oral History Collection
OH-UNCAR

David Brown 

Interview Date and Interviewer

2009 ; Larry Dorr

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Biographical Information

David Brown was appointed as the second chancellor of UNC Asheville in May 1984, and took office July 1, on the retirement of the previous chancellor, William Highsmith.

Scope and Contents

Dr. David Brown gives a brief summary of his career prior to becoming chancellor of UNC Asheville, but spends most of the interview talking about his chancellorship, including the creation of the Center for Creative Retirement, increasing the number of residence halls and student organizations, and focusing on becoming a liberal arts college.

Restrictions

Cannot be copied

Shirley Browning 

Interview Date and Interviewer

April 23, 2010 ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Dr Browning talks about working at UNC Asheville as a professor of economics, and the changes in both the university and student learning. He concentrates on university governance and organization,

Biographical Note

Dr. Shirley Browning joined the UNC Asheville faculty in September 1970, and worked at the university until retirement in 2013. He served two terms as President of the Faculty Assembly and helped establish UNC Asheville as a public liberal arts university.

Recording Note

The audio quality is very poor

Tom Byers 

Interview Date and Interviewer

September 29, 2009 ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Tom Byers talks about his education, and professional background, before explaining his role as Special Assistant to the Chancellor, which he describes as facilitating communications between the chancellor's office and other departments. He also covers community outreach, and the changing role of UNC Asheville.

Joyce Dorr 

Interview Date and Interviewer

August 23, 2010 ; Deirdre Wiggins

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD

Scope and Contents

Joyce Dorr talks about her work prior to coming to UNC Asheville, the music programs she started at the university, and the performances she was involved with.

Biographical Note

Joyce Dorr established, chaired and taught in the music department at University of North Carolina Asheville. She came to the university in 1978, and developed the first courses in applied music and performance.

Larry Dorr 

Interview Date and Interviewer

(November 20, 2009) ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape, copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Larry Dorr provides a thumbnail biography, and then talks about his career as vice-chancellor at UNC Asheville, which began under the chancellorship of William Highsmith, and the changes he saw during the years he worked at the university.

Recording Note

The audio file is incomplete, but video file contains the full interview

Restrictions

Cannot be copied

Carolyn Frady 

Interview Date and Interviewer

(2009) ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Carolyn Frady talks about coming to work at Asheville-Biltmore College in 1962 and working in the President's / Chancellor's office for, Drs. Highsmith, Brown, Schumam, Reed, and Mullen, until her retirement in 1997.

Ileana Grams-Moog 

Interview Date and Interviewer

February 2010 ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD

Scope and Contents

Ileana Grams-Moog talks about working in the Philosophy Department, and being part of the Humanities program.

Bruce Greenawalt 

Interview Date and Interviewer

January 6, 2010 ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD

Scope and Contents

Bruce Greenawalt talks about joining the faculty of Asheville-Biltmore College in 1965, and discusses the faculty staff, and students that were on the campus at that time. He discusses his role in the History Department, and the Humanities program.

Biographical Note

Dr. Bruce Greenawalt was an associate professor in the History Department at UNC Asheville, and served as Department Chair. In 1977 he started the Southern Highlands Research Center, which was the predecessor of Ramsey Library Special Collections.

Eric Iovacchini 

Interview Date and Interviewer

(2009) ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Eric "Yav" Iovacchini talks about beginning his career in higher education, and subsequently joining the faculty at UNC Asheville in 1978, as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. He describes the changes that occurred at the university during his time at the university. These include changes in buildings, athletics, and student life.

Recording Note

The audio file is of poor quality

Deborah James 

Interview Date and Interviewer

October 1, 2010 ; Deidre Wiggins

Format

VHS tape ; audio cassette tape ; copy CD

Scope and Contents

Deborah (Dee) James talks about her personal and educational background, and about her time as part the Literature and Language faculty at UNC Asheville. There is a discussion on race relations, and the African-American student population.

Recording Note

The audio file is almost inaudible

Don Locke 

Interview Date and Interviewer

November 6, 2009, Sam Schuman

Format

DVD ; audio CD

Scope and Contents

Don Locke talks about his time at UNC Asheville, including the role of the Graduate Center, his studies of multiculturalism and diversity, and liberal arts education. He compares UNC Asheville to NC State where previously worked.

Biographical Note

Dr. Locke was a tenured professor at North Carolina State University and Head of the Department of Counselor Education, before moving to UNC Asheville, where he served as director of Diversity and Multiculturalism. He also served as director of the Asheville Graduate Center and director of the NC State University doctoral program in Adult and Community College Education at the Asheville Graduate Center.

Martha Marshall 

Interview Date and Interviewer

October 15, 2009 ; Deidre Wiggins

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Martha Marshall taught accounting at UNC Asheville, and she talks about the beginning of the program, being the first time the university moved away from a strictly liberal arts curriculum. She discusses student / faculty relationships,the benefit of UNC Asheville being a small school, the difficulty in recruiting accounting faculty, and the changes on campus during her tenure.

Dan Millspaugh 

Interview Date and Interviewer

January 4, 2011 ; Sam Schuman

Format

DVD-R ; VHS tape ; copy DVD

Scope and Contents

Dan Millspaugh moved to Asheville in 1981 to join the Art Department at UNC Asheville. In the interview he talks about growing up in Florida, and being a photographer in the Coastguard. He describes working at the university, and the artwork that he created.

Restrictions

Cannot be copied

Jackie Peterson 

Interview Date and Interviewer

November 2009 ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Jackie Peterson started working at Asheville-Biltmore College in 1964, as secretary to the Literature and Philosophy Department, and later became faculty secretary. She describes working on campus, and how the administration of the university changed over the years.

Biographical Note

Jackie Peterson served as administrative assistant in Academic Affairs for many years. When she retired in 2001, the Faculty Senate passed a resolution, "as an expression of the UNCA faculty appreciation for Jackie Peterson's long, arduous and distinguished service to the University, we recognize her by making her an honorary member of the faculty."

Anne Ponder 

Interview Date and Interviewer

April 6, 2010 ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Anne Ponder describes growing up in Asheville, and her recollection of Asheville-Biltmore College / UNC Asheville from that time. She reflects on the changes at the university during her lifetime.

Biographical Note

Asheville native, Eleanor Anne Ponder became the sixth chancellor of the UNC Asheville in 2005. When she retired on July 31, 2014, she became the second longest serving chancellor, with only William Highsmith having a longer tenure.

Recording Note

The sound quality of the audio file is very poor.

Bill Pott 

Interview Date and Interviewer

November 19, 2010 ; San Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Bill Pott describes his education, and working as an accountant in New York, and North Carolina, and how he came to UNC Asheville in 1969 as Business Manager. He subsequently became the Vice Chancellor of Financial Affairs, and he talks about how his role changed over years he worked at the university, as well as the people that he worked with.

Restrictions

Cannot be copied

Recording Note

The quality of the audio file is very poor

Gene Rainey 

Interview Date and Interviewer

2009 ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Gene Rainey talks about his academic background before he joined the faculty of Asheville-Biltmore College in 1969. He also discusses the changes he saw during his time on campus, including the chancellors and vice-chancellors he worked with, and his community service with nonprofits and local politics.

Recording Note

The audio file does not include the final part of the interview

Additional Materials

Audio cassette tape of Dr. Rainey's lecture for Humanities 224, Reality and World Politics

Ted Seitz 

Interview Date and Interviewer

2009 ; Deidre Wiggins

Format

DVD ; audio cassette tape [audio on same tape as Martha Marshall interview]

Scope and Contents

Ted Seitz talks about his career at UNC Asheville, which lasted from 1973 to 2002, where he taught clinical psychology and history. He describes building the department, life on campus, and the changes he saw.

Dexter Squibb 

Interview Date and Interviewer

2010 ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Dexter Squibb reflects on working at Asheville between 1964 and 1994, recalling how small the chemistry department was when he started at Asheville-Biltmore College, and how he had to build the department. He talks about the changes during the thirty years he was on campus, some of which he considers are not for the better, and how he spends his retirement.

Recording Note

The audio quality is very poor

O E Starnes 

Interview Date and Interviewer

September 22, 2009 ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

O E Starnes Jr. talks about his childhood in Asheville, and serving in World War II, before continuing his education, and becoming a lawyer in Asheville. He reflects on how these experiences influenced his service on the board of Asheville-Biltmore College and UNC Asheville. He also talks about his involvement in relocating the college from Seely's Castle to the present campus, and the changes in the college since then.

Recording Note

The video has extraneous material on the start of the recording. The oral history interview commences at 2:58

Phillip Walker 

Interview Date and Interviewer

November 2009 ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Phillip Walker reads notes of his recollections of the history of UNC Asheville, and his own personal experiences at the college. Sam Schuman asks questions to expand on the narrative, and Mrs. Walker provides additional input.

Biographical Information

Phillip Walker was one of the first faculty hired by William Highsmith, when Highsmith became President of Asheville-Biltmore College. Dr. Walker helped establish the liberal arts curriculum at UNC Asheville, played a major role in organizing the humanities program, and served as head of the history department. He died in 2016, aged 96.

Alice Wutschel 

Interview Date and Interviewer

August 31, 2010 ; Sam Schuman

Format

VHS tape ; copy DVD ; audio cassette tape

Scope and Contents

Alice Wutschel talks about joining the faculty of Asheville-Biltmore College in 1967, and becoming the first Dean of Women. She remembers her responsibilities of her role, how the smallness of the college meant everyone was involved in recruiting students, the impact of Title IX, and how the dormitories have changed over the years.

Recording Note

The audio file is of poor quality