Academic Services and Facilities

Summer School

Through the Office of Academic Affairs, the University offers a MayMester, two five‑week terms, and two three‑week intrasessions. Special workshops and institutes enrich the regular summer program, and visiting specialists augment the regular faculty when the need arises.

Through many curricular and extracurricular activities, the summer session provides opportunities for teachers and others who are free for summer study. Many courses and workshops are open to individuals not seeking a degree but interested in gaining personal or professional knowledge.

A student entering The University of North Carolina at Pembroke for the first time as a beginning freshman, a transfer student, or a student who is returning to the University after an absence of one semester or more must meet all requirements for admission.

Transient students-students who are regularly enrolled at another institution of higher education and who wish to take courses at UNC Pembroke during the Summer Session for transfer to their home institution-must submit a form available from the Registrar’s Office. This form must show that they are in good standing at their home institution and have their Dean’s or Registrar’s permission to enroll at UNCP. Admission to the Summer Session does not constitute admission to the University.

In‑service teachers who wish to attend the Summer Session for license renewal or other purposes must submit an application. The application form and Summer Session Catalog may be obtained from the Academic Affairs Office.

Office of Online Learning

The Office of Online Learning functions primarily as a support unit for administrators and faculty for the development and design of online courses and degree programs. Online programs currently being offered are the B.S. in Business Administration, the B.A. in Criminal Justice and Sociology, and the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.). At the graduate level, the Master of Public Administration (MPA), the M.A.Ed. in Elementary Education, and the Master of Business Administration are available in an online format. Several stand-alone courses in the School of Education, the School of Business, and the College of Arts and Sciences are also delivered fully or partially online to fulfill varying student needs. Specific information about online courses and programs may be obtained at uncp.edu/distance. The Office of Online Learning collaborates with the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Electronic Campus by posting UNC Pembroke’s online courses and programs on the Electronic Campus dashboard each semester for participation by e-learners from SREB states.

Quality Assurance in Online Courses: The academic integrity of UNC Pembroke’s online education programs is assured, in part, by insisting that full-time faculty teach a significant number of the courses. Furthermore, the full-time faculty who teach online courses are supplemented by a cadre of well-qualified and properly credentialed adjunct faculty. Students may also find additional online program and course offerings at UNC Online, where all 17 constituent campuses of The University of North Carolina may offer courses and degree programs for students. UNC Pembroke is represented on the council. The Office of Online Learning works with the Teaching and Learning Center, the Division of Information Technology (DoIT), and the Mary LivermoreLibrary to provide the requisite training for faculty who teach online. Additionally, one-on-one support is also provided for instructors who develop courses for online delivery.

Support Services: Working in conjunction with various student support services, the Office of Online Learning assures that online students are seamlessly linked to critical learning resources and services. The Office of Online Learning facilitates the proctoring of online course exams for students near the UNC Pembroke campus and assists all online students in locating qualified proctoring services. Additionally, the Office of Online Learning provides orientation for new online students.

Library Services: The Mary Livermore Library is committed to supporting the teaching, learning, and research needs of students enrolled in off-campus or online courses. The Outreach/Distance Education Librarian provides dedicated reference and instructional services, expedited document delivery, and in-depth research consultation services. Upon request, the Library will mail books to home addresses if students are not enrolled in on-campus courses. Library staff will also scan reference book chapters, print journal articles, government documents, etc., and email these materials directly to students. In order to access electronic resources from off campus and to request materials using BraveCat, the Library’s online catalog, students must have a library account and a PIN (Personal Identification Number). These library accounts are created automatically each semester, but, if assistance is needed, students can contact Circulation staff at 910.521.6516 or circ@uncp.edu. Library collections include approximately 400,000 print volumes, 150,000 e-Books, and 65,000 subscriptions to print and electronic serials. Access is also provided to more than 128 electronic databases.

Lateral Entry (Licensure Only) Teacher Certification Support: UNC Pembroke’s School of Education supports lateral entry (licensure only) teacher education candidates who take courses to complete state licensure requirements. As mandated by the UNC Tomorrow Commission in 2007, “UNC should increase access to its educational programs-including academic courses, degree programs at all levels, and certificate programs-for traditional students, non-traditional students, and lifelong learners” (UNC Tomorrow Recommendation 4.2.1). The Lateral Entry (Licensure Only) Teacher Education Certification program is certainly one of the creative ways in which UNC Pembroke is contributing to workforce development. In other state teacher licensure documents issued by the NC State Board of Education, this lateral entry (licensure only) path for teacher licensure will now be known as a Residency Licensure Program.

Mary Livermore and Other Library Services

Named for a former UNCP Dean of Women and Professor of Religious Education, the Mary Livermore Library serves as the chief information resource center for the Pembroke campus, local communities, other libraries within The University of North Carolina system, and the world. The Library has approximately 400,000 print volumes, 150,000 e-Books, and 65,000 periodical subscriptions (print and electronic). Access is also provided to more than 128 electronic databases. The Special Collections/Archives area houses unique and valuable historical resources, including an extensive collection of materials on the Lumbee Indians, whose tribal home is Pembroke, NC. The Library also serves as a depository for selected state and federal documents and houses local history materials.

Library patrons are offered services which include assistance with reference, database searching, interlibrary loan, orientation tours, and library use instruction. Resources available to patrons include print and audiovisual materials for research and recreation; print and on-line serials; electronic databases; a computerized catalog; Internet access; computers, scanners, copiers, and microform readers/printers; large- and small-group study facilities; a computer laboratory; an electronic classroom; and multimedia equipment, including a TTY telephone and a Sorenson Video Relay Service (SVRS) station for speech-impaired, hard-of-hearing, or deaf individuals.

The resources are available to patrons 106 hours a week during academic sessions, with extended hours during fall and spring exam periods and a reduced schedule during summer, holidays, and between sessions. Electronic resources can be accessed 24/7 via the Library’s website. Detailed information concerning services and hours is available by phone at the Circulation Desk (910.521.6516) or at the Reference Desk (910.521.6656). Patrons needing reference assistance may stop by the Reference Desk; send a question via email at refdesk@uncp.edu or the Ask-A-Librarian web form; or send an instant message or a text message.

Specialized Resource Centers, housing library materials appropriate for particular programs and departments, are found in several locations on campus. In the Educational Center, the School of Education maintains a Curriculum Laboratory and a Test Review Resource Center. The Music Resource Center, located on the first floor of Moore Hall, is a multi-purpose facility that serves the needs of both music students and faculty. This center houses recordings, scores, and listening facilities. The holdings of the Curriculum Laboratory and the Music Resource Center can be searched through BraveCat, the Mary Livermore Library’s online catalog.

Division of Information Technology (DoIT)

The Division of Information Technology (DoIT) builds and maintains the computing infrastructure and services that UNCP’s students, faculty, and staff rely on to do their work.

BraveWiFi, ResidentialWiFi and Guest wireless access provide Braves and their guests with access to Internet resources. To register for BraveWiFi, connect to that network, open a browser and complete the registration by entering your username and password. Guest wireless access is available for campus visitors including parents. Go to http://www.uncp.edu/resources/division-information-technology/wifi/guest-wireless-internet-access for instructions for visitors. ResidentialWiFi is available in university housing only. For information about the ResidentialWiFi network, visit http://www.uncp.edu/resources/division-information-technology/students/resnet. 

Assistance with technology related issues is available through the DoIT Help Desk in the D.F. Lowry Building, room 110, 910-521-6260. Support hours vary with holidays and semester breaks.  For up-to-date information, go to www.uncp.edu/doit/helpdesk. Questions and concerns may also be addressed to DoIT via our online self-service portal, HEAT, or via email to doit.helpdesk@UNCP.edu. Use HEAT Self Service to submit a request for assistance.  The Self Service login page is available by clicking the “HEAT Self Service” link in UNCP’s QUICK LINKS menu on the UNCP home page. 

Student Computing Resources

DoIT provides each student access to a number of technology services including BraveWeb, Canvas, the campus network, and network file storage. All students receive a BraveMail email account in Office365. All students, faculty, and staff also have full access to the collaborative tools offered through Office 365, Google Suite for Higher Education, and Webex   Access to all services is enabled through an individual network account created for each student when enrolled.

Computer labs are available throughout the campus. The labs located in academic buildings are available to all students when not otherwise occupied by a class. The computer lab on the second floor of the Mary Livermore Library is available during the Library’s operating hours. The computer lab on the first floor of the James B. Chavis University Center is open to all students, and the schedule is posted in the University Center. 

University Writing Center

The University Writing Center, located in the D.F. Lowry Building, Room 308, assists UNCP students at any stage in the writing process, from conception and organization to revision and publication. The Writing Center staff works with students in face-to-face or online tutoring sessions on any composition-based assignment, helping students focus, select, organize, and develop ideas in early drafts of writing and then helping them review, improve, and strengthen later drafts before submission. Writing Center users have access to networked computers and printers as well as an extensive collection of writing reference materials.

The University Writing Center staff includes a full-time director along with a group of upper level students and graduate students from across the disciplines who have extensive training in the writing process, tutoring, and their Writing Center responsibilities. 

The University Writing Center opened at UNCP in May 1994 as a Title III-funded student support program and was granted permanent institutional support by the Office of Academic Affairs and the Department of English and Theatre in August 1998.

Center for Student Success

The Center for Student Success (CSS), located in the D.F. Lowry Building, is designed to provide a support system for students through numerous programs and activities including but not limited to academic advising, academic counseling, learning communities, peer mentoring, and tutoring. The Center for Student Success contributes to UNCP’s commitment to changing lives through education by leading campus initiatives to assist all students in transitioning, progressing, and persisting to graduation.  Staff in the CSS are committed to working collaboratively with campus stakeholders to provide a student-centered experience that increases retention and graduation rates.

CSS serves as the academic home for new freshmen, transfer freshmen, readmit freshmen, or students transitioning between majors.  The CSS consists of six units: Academic Advising, Academic Engagement, Academic Outreach, New Student Programs, TRIO, and the Writing, Interacting, and Networking (WIN) Program (formerly COP).  Additionally, the CSS houses University Studies.

Office of International Programs

In today’s global economy, the need for college graduates equipped with the skills to succeed in that economy, and for faculty prepared to teach them, has never been greater. Citizens of all types-whether parents of students, or local or other residents or interested parties-also need to understand the current world, the challenges that it presents, and the benefits to be accrued through informed participation. Businesses, likewise, must be prepared to compete in-and understand-the complexities of the contemporary world and marketplace.

The International Programs office advises the university and others on international matters, directs and carries out the university’s international education activities, and serves as its main representation abroad. Consistent with its mandate to internationalize the university community and to serve as a dynamic resource for the local community and beyond, the office promotes UNCP abroad; recruits and supports high-quality international degree-seeking and exchange students from all over the world; offers, creates, and manages Study Abroad opportunities for UNCP students while offering students and parents alike outstanding support from pre-departure onwards; serves as an internationalization support office for UNCP faculty and for in-bound and resident foreign scholars; and workswith industry and community leaders to promote international understanding and skill sets. International Programs also directs the English Language Institute, which is described in more detail below.

Working with the University Counsel, International Programs is responsible for managing international contracts, has concluded-and continues to seek-contracts with a large number of high-profile institutions throughout the world, and offers (in concert with various UNCP offices and academic departments) cooperative degree and non-degree programs with partner institutions abroad. International Programs, in cooperation with the Center for Sponsored Research and Programs, also coordinates international grant and funding activities and works closely with the Office for Advancement.

English Language Institute

The English Language Institute (ELI) offers innovative programs in English as a Second Language (ESL) to UNCP’s growing population of international students. Overseen by the International Programs office, ELI offers high-quality English instruction to non-native speakers. ELI’s ESL instruction prepares international students to succeed, both academically and culturally, at UNCP, whether in the classroom or off-campus in social, cultural, and professional settings. In addition to the achievement of linguistic competency, the program also aims at making international students more comfortable with, and better-informed of, life in the United States. A significant amount of content and opportunity is leveraged through current and cultural events and by means of local and regional excursions.

TRIO Programs

TRIO Programs at UNCP, located in Jacobs Hall, Suites A and B, are designed to help meet the academic, cultural, and financial needs of participants in order that they may achieve a high success rate while in school.

Student Support Services is funded to serve two hundred college students at UNCP. The program offers the following services:

• instruction in Freshman Seminar
• tutoring on a one‑to‑one or a small group basis in all majors offered at the University
• study skills assistance in developing techniques of note‑taking and test‑taking
• assistance in applying for financial aid and scholarship programs
• guidance in academic, vocational, and personal/social concerns
• opportunities to participate in cultural activities
• access to reference and resource materials, which include magazines, paperbacks, and a file on current events.

Accessibility Resource Center

The Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) is designed to assist students covered under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA). Anyone desiring assistance is requested to contact ARC, located in the D.F. Lowry Building, Room 107. Operating hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Appointments during regular business hours are requested and can be made by calling (910) 521-6695. After-hours appointments may be made on an as-needed basis.

The Accessibility Resource Center will (1) provide guidelines for documenting disabilities; (2) discern eligibility for services; (3) determine reasonable accommodations; and (4) facilitate appropriate accommodations. Contact the Accessibility Resource Center for additional information.

North Carolina Health Careers Access Program at UNCP (NC-HCAP)

The North Carolina Health Careers Access Program (NC‑HCAP) at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, located in Jacobs Hall, Suite F, is one of three centers of the North Carolina Health Careers Access Program (NC‑HCAP). This interinstitutional program of the University of North Carolina was established in 1971 to address the serious shortage of health professionals in North Carolina, especially among underrepresented minorities and disadvantaged population groups. Interested students should contact the HCAP office at (910) 521‑6673 or (910) 521‑6493 or visit our webpage: www.uncp.edu/hcap.

Mission: To increase the number of underrepresented minorities or economically/educationally disadvantaged persons being trained for and employed in the health professions.

Purpose: The purpose of NC‑HCAP is to provide recruitment, counseling, and enrichment services and activities for all UNCP students who are interested in pursuing medicine, optometry, dentistry, veterinary medicine, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, podiatry, public health, and allied health fields of study.

The NC‑HCAP at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke serves the Southeast region of North Carolina and offers the following services and activities:

• provides information on over 200 different health careers and on a broad range of health professions programs available in North Carolina and elsewhere;
• provides counseling for individuals seeking careers in the health professions for which training is available in the constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina system and in the North Carolina technical institutes and community colleges;
• provides retention and enrichment services for students enrolled in pre‑profession health programs;
• provides professional study guides and review materials to assist students in preparing for health professions schools admissions tests (i.e., MCAT, DAT, PCAT, etc.);
• provides assistance with AMCAS applications;
• provides assistance with individual student mock interviews;
• coordinates seminars on admission procedures, entrance exams, curriculum requirements, and financial aid for health professions schools and graduate biomedical science programs;
• provides educational field trips to medical centers and health professions schools in North Carolina, and interaction with health professions schools’ faculties, administrators, and students and with practicing health professionals;
• assists minority and disadvantaged students interested in health professions programs in identifying adequate financial aid resources;
• conducts Health Careers Information & Enrichment (HCIE) workshops for high school students and health careers clubs;
• sponsors a Health Careers Club at UNCP for enrolled health science majors and others interested in pursuing careers in the health professions.

NC-HCAP also sponsors a seven-week educational work/learning clinical health experience held each year during May through June. The 40‑hour-a-week salaried positions consist of both clinical experiences in health care agencies and academic enrichment experiences for underrepresented minorities or economically/educationally disadvantaged health science majors interested in health-related careers. For additional program information, please visit our webpage: www.uncp.edu/hcap/chsp

Museum of the Southeast American Indian

The Museum of the Southeast American Indian (formerly know as the Native American Resource Center) is a multi-faceted research institute and museum. The mission of the Museum of the Southeast American Indian is to educate and serve the public about the prehistory, history, culture, art, and contemporary issues of American Indians, with special emphasis on the Robeson County Native American community; to conduct scholarly research; to collect and preserve the material culture of Native America; to encourage American Indian artists and craftspersons; and to cooperate on a wide range of projects with other agencies concerned with American Indians.

Located on the first floor of Old Main, the Museum of the Southeast American Indian offers a rich collection of authentic American Indian artifacts, handicrafts, art, books, and audio and video recordings about Native Americans. An exciting variety of exhibits is on display, including prehistoric tools and weapons, 19th century Lumbee household and farm equipment, and contemporary Indian art. Indian cultures from various parts of the Americas are represented by characteristic artifacts. The Museum’s mission supports the mission of the University specifically by encouraging inclusion and appreciation of diverse cultures and by celebrating the heritage of the institution (founded as a school for American Indians). The Center’s mission also contributes to the University’s mission through service to and appreciation of our multi-ethnic regional society, as well as by promoting active student learning and creative activity.

WNCP-TV

The Department of Mass Communication operates the Robeson County public access channel on Spectrum and produces original programming in the TV studio and related facilities.  These programming operations support the curriculum in the broadcasting major by providing students with a hands-on, practical working environment to gain needed production experience.

WNCP-TV also supports both the university and the surrounding communities by providing programming to regional broadcast and cable outlets and the web.

The shows produced for WNCP-TV cover a wide range of topics including news, sports, public affairs, entertainment, and special programs such as live events around the campus.

WNCP-TV facilities include a three-camera studio, control room, video editing suites, Macintosh Lab, and remote production van.

The Teaching &Learning Center

Established in 1996 and located in Mary Livermore Library, the Teaching & Learning Center seeks to promote teaching excellence by generating the ideas, activities, and enthusiasm that foster quality teaching and learning, a mission overseen and executed by the Task Force on Teaching Excellence, an advisory board composed of awardwinning faculty. As a unit within the Office of Academic Affairs, the TLC establishes and maintains collaborative relationships across the university-including but not limited to the Center for Student Success, the Division of Information Technology, the Office of Community & Civic Engagement, the Accessibility Resource Center, the Office of Military & Veteran Services, and the Office of Online Learning-so as to provide faculty with comprehensive, purpose-driven, and seamless support in the classroom. The TLC seeks to foster an environment where teaching is rewarded and recognized, and faculty are encouraged to apply for Grants for Excellence in Teaching & Learning to support their pedagogy and scholarship in teaching and learning.

To learn more, visit https://www.uncp.edu/resources/teaching-and-learning-center. Follow @UNCPTLC on Facebook and Twitter, and contact Director Scott Hicks at (910) 775-4032 or scott.hicks@uncp.edu.

Office of Sponsored Research and Programs

The Office of Sponsored Research and Programs (OSRP) serves as the clearinghouse for externally sponsored grant, contract, and cooperative agreements. The staff provides guidance and support in identifying funding sources, developing grant proposals and research contracts, and ensuring compliance with University and federal regulations. The Office maintains University-wide grant records and reports all proposals and awards through the UNC system electronic research administration database. Common types of funded activities include research grants, programmatic grants, training grants, research career programs, undergraduate research, minority programs in science and math, community outreach programs, and economic development projects and partnerships. The Office sponsors grant writing workshops on various aspects of proposal development and grant management. More information may be found at www.uncp.edu/osrp.

Institutional Research

The Office of Institutional Research serves as a centralized data resource to the university community by providing strategic, timely, and accurate information an research services to assist institutional planning and assessment, inform sound decision making, and enhance institutional effectiveness. More information on the office and university data can be found at www.uncp.edu/ir.

Regional Initiatives

The Office of Regional Initiatives is located off campus at the Carolina Commerce and Technology Center (COMTech) on Livermore Drive. Established in 2000, its mission fosters regional collaboration, enhances business development, and empowers communities for quality of life betterment in southeastern North Carolina. The Office of Regional Initiatives addresses the diverse needs of the region through initiatives to increase resources, establish networks, and provide training. It provides outreach services to the citizens, businesses, governments and nonprofit organizations throughout the region. These outreach services are executed in cooperation with organizations to provide management development programs, health care initiatives, customized training, consulting, grants development, planning and technical assistance, conference designing and implementation, and economic and social research.

Professional Development: The office offers non-credit workshops leading to a certificate in areas such as management development and leadership development with concentrated study in group dynamics, communications, quality, change, and strategic planning. These programs are offered to the public but can also be tailored to meet an organization’s specific needs, with instruction arranged on-site and online, and courses may qualify for Continuing Education Units of credit (CEUs).

Short Courses, Institutes, and Conferences: In addition to helping students meet licensure requirements, the University meets special needs of students through this program and continues the tradition of providing education to all segments of the population for personal and professional enrichment. The University awards Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to participants in qualified programs. Continuing Education Units are a part of a nationwide recording system to provide a uniform measure of attainment in non‑credit educational programs. One CEU at UNC Pembroke is defined as “ten contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible, capable direction, and qualified instruction.”

Youth Programs: The Office of Regional Initiatives provides numerous opportunities for youth involvement that include summer programs such as Kids College, Teen College, EntreU, and, based on funding, a Summer Transportation Institute and Summer Science Symposiums.

Small Business and Technology Development Center: Operated as an inter-institutional program of The University of North Carolina, SBTDC provides information and individualized counseling services to citizens who are starting a business or existing businesses interested in expansion.

Community Services: The office supports community agencies and the nonprofit sector through services such as community organizing and leadership development. Healthy Start, a national infant mortality initiative, is administered by the Office of Regional Initiatives under Community Health Alliance, as is Youth Start, which provides comprehensive services for in-school youth aged 14-18.

Thomas Family Center for Entrepreneurship

The Thomas Family Center for Entrepreneurship (TFCE) is located in the Dogwood Building. The TFCE management recognizes the correlation between economic development and entrepreneurship and therefore is committed to entrepreneurship education and to entrepreneurial development. Its ambition is to stimulate entrepreneurial thinking amongst the UNCP student body as well as assist and support entrepreneurs and new ventures in the Southeastern North Carolina region. As a consequence, the mission of the TFCE is focused on education, research, planning, and community engagement.

Established in 2006, the TFCE was enabled by a generous gift from The Thomas Family Foundation, founded by James and Sally Thomas. TFCE consultants reach out and support the community by providing one-on-one consulting and evaluation services for local entrepreneurs while assisting students in developing entrepreneurial competencies and knowledge. The result is to extend entrepreneurship education outside the classroom by allowing students to work with local entrepreneurs on critical business challenges. Experiential learning is a great asset to the entrepreneurship students. At the same time, local businesses benefit from the knowledge and advice provided. The TFCE web site (www.uncp.edu/tfce) provides details on the academic and entrepreneurial business consulting provided.

Writing, Interacting, Networking (WIN) Program

Director: Deana Johnson

The Writing, Interacting, Networking (WIN) Program (formerly COP) is designed to admit a limited number of students who meet most, but not all, of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s regular admission standards. Students are selected on the basis of high school academic record, scholastic standing in the high school graduating class, and SAT or ACT scores. The application for admission should be filed as early as possible.

Students enter the Writing, Interacting, Networking Program based on recommendations from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, and students enroll in courses designed to develop academic skills which will be necessary for their success at UNC Pembroke. In the Fall and Spring Semesters, the student is allowed to register for 15-17 hours of academic courses. In addition, students meet regularly with the WIN advisors for academic counseling as well as participate in special programs throughout the academic year. Students who meet the University’s academic eligibility requirements and have successfully completed the WIN Program (made a “C” or higher in ENG 0104 , UNV 1000  ,ENG 1050 , and ENG 1060 ) then continue at the University as other regularly admitted students