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GREENSBORO — As state budget cuts put pressure on schools throughout the UNC system, UNCG has crafted an ambitious draft of its major goals through 2014.

The draft — available on the university’s Web site — goes before the school’s board of trustees next week. Among the proposals: working with local public schools to create a middle college for high school students by next year and graduating more qualified teaching candidates by 2014.

“We have been asked by Guilford County Schools to consider a middle college at UNCG,” said David Perrin, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “It could bring as many as 120 high school students to campus, and it’s something we’re excited to do.”

The new middle college would join similar programs at N.C. A&T, GTCC, Bennett College, Greensboro College and Guilford College.

Guilford County Schools Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green said Thursday that although he has met with the chancellor and provost, the talks about a middle college at UNCG are still in the early stages. Green included the expansion of middle college offerings in his strategic plan, which was released last month.

“It’s allowed our students to do their studies on a college campus, and I think that’s been a wonderful opportunity,” he said.

Officials with the Guilford County school district have said they also are in similar talks with High Point University.

Included in UNCG’s draft is a proposal for a three-year degree completion program using the existing summer programs and the iSchool program, which allows students to take college courses in their junior and senior years of high school.

“We’re interested in responding to the economic challenges of students who are attending college and having trouble affording four years,” Perrin said.

“This way, students who self-identify and decide to graduate early, could through this program meet their graduation requirements in three years.”

The draft also sets a goal of graduating 30 percent more qualified teaching candidates by 2014.

Perrin said graduating more teachers is part of the school’s commitment to helping the state’s teacher shortage — particularly in math and science, where qualified teachers are hard to find.

“If they’re going to make a strong commitment to increase the number of educators, that helps all school districts in North Carolina,” Green said.

Some of the draft’s goals are familiar ambitions. The establishment of a pharmacy school has been considered for more than a decade.

A proposal for the school goes to the UNC general administration this month.

The four-page draft is part of the UNC Tomorrow initiative, which asked UNC schools to plan short- and long-term educational goals. It was presented to the faculty senate Wednesday and immediately stirred discussion about the university’s goals.

Few faculty or administration officials would talk about the draft late Thursday, saying discussion of this draft would be premature.

Staff writer J. Brian Ewing contributed to this report.

Contact Joe Killian at 373-7023 or joe.killian@news-record.com