Woodward, James H. (University chancellor)

Jeffers, William Thomas

Charlotte, North Carolina

J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections & University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

2012-12-11

1 audio file (01:58:11) : digital, MP3

sound recording-nonmusical

spoken word

eng

Dr. James H. Woodward was a 73-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place in his office at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was born in Sanford, Florida in 1939. He was educated at the Georgia Institute of Technology, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1962, a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1963, and a PhD in Engineering Mechanics in 1967. He was a professor at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, North Carolina State University, and the University of Alabama-Birmingham. From 1969-1989 Dr. Woodward held ever-increasingly significant roles at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, serving as Dean of the School of Engineering and ultimately as Senior Vice President. In July of 1989, Dr. Woodward became the third chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte until his retirement in July 2005.

In this first of two interviews, Dr. James H. Woodward, Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) from 1989-2005 discusses his motivation for coming to UNC Charlotte as its third chancellor, and describes some of the major accomplishments of the University under his tenure. In particular he focuses on the decision by the UNC Board of Governors to allow constituent campuses to reevaluate and revise their respective mission statements, which allowed UNC Charlotte to add doctoral work to its statement and paved the way for a transition to a research university; the subsequent implementation of a new academic planning process at UNC Charlotte with a focus on PhD program development; and the creation of a master planning process to guide the physical development of the campus and unify the campus aesthetically. Dr Woodward also addresses the role of politics in higher education and its impact on state funding. He points out that UNC Charlotte, as a growing university, has always needed funding for more academic space. Dr. Woodward relates the process that led to the 2000 North Carolina Higher Education Improvement Bonds referendum, and what it's passage meant to UNC Charlotte. He concludes this interview talking about the first doctoral programs and why they were chosen, and the creation of an off campus center for the university in uptown Charlotte in 1995.

MP3 access copy created on ingest from born digital WAV preservation master which was recorded on a Marantz PDM 660 digital recorder in two parts.

College teachers
College administrators

Woodward, James H. (University chancellor)
Dubois, Philip L.
Spangler, C. D., Jr. (Clemmie Dixon), 1932-
Black, James B. (James Boyce), 1935-

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Universities and colleges--Administration
University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Office of the Chancellor
College administrators
College buildings
College Teachers
Campus planning
Universities and colleges--Faculty
Doctor of philosophy degree
Architecture
Urban universities and colleges

North Carolina--Charlotte

Interviews
Oral histories

1980-2020

UNC Charlotte Oral History Interviews

William T. Jeffers Interviews on UNC Charlotte History

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audio/mpeg

James H. Woodward oral history interview 2, 2012 December 13, J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte (https://goldmine.uncc.edu/islandora/object/uncc%3A2494) ; James H. Woodward oral history interview 3, 2013 November 9, J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte ([url of interview in Goldmine if there is one]) ; James H. Woodward oral history interview 4, 2014 September 16, J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte (https://goldmine.uncc.edu/islandora/object/uncc%3A2477)

UA-WO0032