Good afternoon.

This week students returned from Spring Break, and the second half of the semester is underway. Commencement is only seven weeks from today.

As our soon-to-be graduates prepare for commencement, soon-to-be-students are on campus today, interviewing for our signature scholarships. All are looking ahead to the promise that awaits them as each App State Experience begins or takes them to their next step. 

Good morning and welcome to a very exciting weekend on App State’s Boone campus!

Sunday night, I returned from College Station, Texas, after our football team won a tremendously important game for App State, beating Texas A&M, who was, at the time, ranked sixth in the nation. This week, College GameDay, ESPN’s popular college football pregame show, is broadcasting from App State’s campus for the very first time.

Good afternoon, and thank you, Provost.

I appreciate the opportunity to speak to all of you and provide an update on the state of the university during this first convening of faculty and staff for the academic year.

Good morning and welcome to our beautiful Boone campus! We have a gorgeous summer day outside and a lovely weekend ahead. I hope you will be able to get outside.

I’d like to begin by extending a special welcome to our newest board member: 
Anita Greene. With a background in mechanical engineering, Anita is an entrepreneur and owner of Artisanal Restaurant in Banner Elk and Peppervine in Charlotte, and she brings significant business experience to this board.

Also, we are welcoming Quson Brown, who is our student Trustee. Congratulations on your appointments to the Board — I look forward to working more closely with you both, and thank you in advance for your service.

Thank you, also to Sarah-Davis Cagle, our newest constituency member. Sarah-Davis became Chair of App State’s Staff Senate earlier this week. 

When this board met in March, we had national searches underway for the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Operations (formerly Business Affairs), Chief Diversity Officer and Chief Audit Officer positions. I am pleased to report each of those searches has been filled, and the new appointees are with us here today.

Dear Members of the App State Community,

I am pleased to announce that after a national search, I have named Dr. Dan Layzell to the position of Vice Chancellor of Finance and Operations, effective August 15.

Dan currently serves as Vice President, Chief Operating and Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer of Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. He brings a career of nearly three decades in higher education and a decade of policy and legislative experience to this role, as well as classroom experience as teaching faculty.

As Vice Chancellor of Finance and Operations, formerly known as Vice Chancellor of Business Affairs, Dan will be responsible for administrative oversight of finance and administration, campus services, facilities management and human resources.

Thank you, Louis, and good afternoon. I'm pleased to join you for your final meeting of the 2021-22 academic year and share a university update.

This Senate diligently serves as the instrument through which the App State faculty considers and acts on university matters, and I appreciate your dedication to this important work. The end of the academic year is often a time for reflection, and I encourage you to take this opportunity to celebrate your many successes. Thank you for all you do for our students.

Good morning. There is much to report today, and I appreciate your indulgence as I share some of the incredible progress and success we have had so far this year.

Today marks the 800th day since we first began planning, preparing and responding to COVID.  I am so proud of how our staff, faculty and students came together as a community to persevere. Together we managed the most significant crisis our university has ever faced. While we certainly didn’t all agree at all times, we kept our focus on making data-driven decisions and our goal — always — was to do what was best for our students.

Good afternoon, and thank you Provost Norris. While the agenda for the Spring Faculty and Staff meeting does not typically include remarks from me, I appreciate the opportunity to share an update with faculty and staff in today’s important setting.

We enter 2022 with many exciting accomplishments underway, and much to anticipate in the coming weeks and months.

Good afternoon.

I am Sheri Everts, Chancellor of Appalachian State University, and I am thrilled to welcome each of you here today, to announce Appalachian State University's Hickory campus.

Good afternoon, and thank you, Chair Lampe, for your leadership of this Board.

I’d like to begin my remarks today by acknowledging the contributions of former Chancellor John Thomas, who passed away at the beginning of the month. Chancellor Thomas was a beloved member of our campus community who served as chancellor of App State from 1979–1993. He championed the importance of teaching and research going hand-in-hand, and his legacy of innovation and service will remain a central aspect of our campus culture for generations to come. Those who were fortunate to know him remember him as kind, thoughtful and community-focused. He was my trusted mentor and dear friend, and he will forever occupy a special place in my heart and in the heart of our campus community.

Thank you, Lee, for your leadership of this great team. Please join me in thanking Lee.

Thank you all so much for being here. I am thrilled to see so many folks show up to congratulate, recognize and thank this amazing group of people.

Dear Members of the App State Community,

I am very pleased to announce that Dr. Heather Hulburt Norris will assume the role of Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, effective immediately.

Since February of 2020, Heather has served in this role in an interim capacity, and her leadership throughout the pandemic has been exceptional. She has risen to each challenge, building consensus, leading by example and fostering innovation and creative solutions under immensely difficult circumstances.

Dear Members of our Campus Community,

With the announcement of the Derek Chauvin verdict, please remember there are spaces set up for you to react and process the trial’s outcome. In addition to the resources we shared yesterday:

• Drop-in meetings for students will be held in-person (socially distanced), and virtually, beginning at 7pm tonight, and they will continue over the coming days. View a schedule of events for students here.

• Open forums for faculty and staff will be facilitated this week by the Inclusive Excellence Team. View a schedule of events for faculty and staff here.

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

It is with personal regret but warm wishes that I announce Dr. Willie Fleming has shared with me that he will retire from App State effective June 1, 2021.

Willie has held the position of Chief Diversity Officer since May 2016 – the first cabinet-level, Chief Diversity Officer position at App State. During this time, our university has benefited from his work with campus departments, committees and student organizations, as well as from the trainings he has conducted for more than 90% of the academic departments, and his leadership in developing the university’s Strategic Diversity Plan. Yet, as many on our campus know, his diversity and inclusion work at App State spans nearly 40 years.

Good afternoon. I always look forward to sharing university updates with this hard-working and enthusiastic group. 

I am also pleased that Scott Lampe, the chair of our Board of Trustees, is able to join us today. You will hear from him shortly. Thank you for being here, Chair Lampe!

I want to begin by thanking everyone who supported iBackAPP Day last week. Our Vice Chancellor for University Advancement reports this was our most successful iBackApp day yet!  We generated nearly $250,000, with more than 2,350 donors. Countless more Mountaineers showed their support by wearing black and gold and by sharing their pride and love for App State on social media. I saw many of the departments here today join in this important day for the university. Thank you! 

This afternoon, I was pleased to have the opportunity to share with our faculty and staff at their spring meeting some important campus updates — including a partnership with Banfield Pet Hospital to develop a 4-year online program for Licensed Veterinary Technicians, a budget update from Vice Chancellor Forte and the status of our Child Development Center expansion project.

Good afternoon.

A week from today, we will celebrate our second virtual commencement. I know we are all looking forward to a time when we will be able to celebrate this ultimate commemoration of our students’ academic achievement in person again. Our December graduates have earned one of the most significant achievements of their lifetimes under historically challenging circumstances: two consecutive semesters overshadowed by a global pandemic unlike anything the world has seen in more than a century.

Good morning and welcome to our board members and to Governor Byers, who are joining us in the room today as well as those who are joining via Zoom.

I’d like to begin by thanking Chair Blackburn for his exceptional leadership of this board during an extraordinary two years for App State. John, thank you for your dedication to our students, faculty and staff. I believe I can speak for everyone present when I say our appreciation of your dedication, service and leadership will continue long beyond your chairmanship of this board. Thank you.

I’d also like to recognize and thank Rob Gelber and his AppTV team for broadcasting today’s meeting. Our students are gaining important, real-world experience with today’s live broadcast, and I really appreciate their work, and Rob’s leadership.

It is anything but a typical September in Boone, but I am very pleased to say we do have students on campus making the very best out of their extraordinary challenges. 

As I reflect on my comments to you at this time a year ago, it is hard to fathom how much has changed since last September.

I want to begin by saying thank you to our faculty and staff.

Each week of the Fall 2020 semester we complete is a significant accomplishment. Since March, we have re-envisioned, re-imagined and re-defined the university experience at App State. In the last six months, we have had to re-create what took those who came before us more than 120 years to develop. This effort has been nothing short of superhuman for our staff and our faculty.

Dear Members of the Faculty,

Over the past few days, we have heard from many of you– in the form of several Faculty Senate resolutions as well as in response to the direct messages to faculty and the broad-based messages sent to campus. Please know we appreciate your passion about the myriad issues you have raised with us as well as your messages of support. We also appreciate and understand the concerns you have shared with us.

I pledge continued, critical resources to the many areas across campus that are coming together and helping our community chart a path for continued change. We are becoming a stronger, more mindful, and more inclusive community of people who, individually and together, can make real and powerful changes in communities well beyond our campus.

Spring semester is now in its fifth week, and this is the point in the new year when many students tend to need more help balancing academic and personal demands. University leaders continually assess and refine our support services to ensure we are meeting current student needs and anticipating those that may arise.

Happy New Year, Mountaineers! Your support of Appalachian helped power many of our key moments in 2019 — from our Founders Day celebrations to the construction of a home for a local family in need. It was great to connect with you at signature events throughout the year, including on campus at Homecoming, and in many off-campus locations as well, including New Orleans, when the Mountaineers football team won its fifth straight bowl game. We appreciate all the ways you show your pride for Appalachian — on and off campus.

Our university also loves to share your successes. Our more than 130,000 living alumni illustrate the infinite possibilities of an Appalachian education — from cooking with celebrities, to driving the future of sustainable automotive design, to illuminating stories on stage.

Appalachian’s 2019 homecoming festivities welcomed alumni from near and far, and it was a delight to see so many of you reconnecting with classmates and professors and exploring our campus construction projects. Homecoming included the honoring of our Alumni Awards Winners, the presentation of a large donation from the Class of 1969 and the return of one of our most active alumni as a member of our leadership team.

This fall, Appalachian welcomed our largest and most diverse class in university history and saw an increase in our retention rates, which continue to be well above the national average. These figures attest to the strong interest in an Appalachian education and the high-quality degree programs provided to your students by our dedicated faculty and staff.

We are about a month into the Fall semester and much has already taken place. Today, I look forward to sharing how we are supporting our educational mission.

Fall semester is in full swing and we have complemented our rigorous academics with a full slate of events - from our second annual Founders Day earlier this month to the Homecoming festivities scheduled for October. Construction continues - on time and on budget - from the upgrade of Sanford Hall to the new parking deck, recently opened, and the quickly rising residence halls. Stay up to date on all the changes on the Appalachian's Future website. It is always a pleasure to hear stories of how our alumni - nearly 97,000 of whom reside in North Carolina - are using their Appalachian education to enhance their professions, elevate their communities and make real and powerful contributions.

The first weeks of a new academic year are filled with excitement, anticipation and possibility, as I am sure you well remember. Appalachian is alive with that fresh energy as students settle in and start the fall semester. I think our returning students will be amazed by the significant progress we made over the summer on our construction projects. These are great strides toward building infrastructure that supports our educational mission, and we look forward to showcasing our campus during Black and Gold Convocation, Founders Day and the full slate of events the new academic year will bring.

Our alumni reflect Appalachian’s place as the premier, public undergraduate university in the state, and it is my pleasure to welcome all of you back to campus as often as possible. Where better to spend summer days than at 3,333 feet? I encourage you to engage with your alma mater this summer — meet the next generation of Mountaineers, see the extensive campus improvements underway or take in a show.

On behalf of the entire institution, I would also like to thank you, our trustees, for the advocacy work each of you does on behalf of our faculty, staff and students. You make tremendous differences for – and along with – our faculty, staff and students. Together, our collective commitment to Appalachian’s standing as the premier, public undergraduate institution in the state begins before our students receive their degrees and continues long afterward.

I am so proud of our university. It is easy for me to advocate for Appalachian, and your voice in your respective communities is vital to our success. Thank you for your time today and for your service, which all of us at Appalachian value so very much.

Whatever the summer brings for our students — summer studies, internships, new jobs or new landscapes — I wish them, and you, the very best. We are all so proud of our students’ achievements, and so appreciative of the support you provide to them as we conclude yet another successful year.

April weather in Boone changes quickly. We may have snow one day and beautiful spring weather the next, but the daffodils and forsythia are in full bloom. Our campus is lively and much is taking place. As we celebrate Earth Month, I am reminded how our beautiful location offers opportunities for our students to develop important skills that will serve them and their communities throughout their lives.

Spring break did not slow down the building and renovation projects we have underway. The demolition of Owens Field House continued and we’re making headway preparing for the new residence halls and parking deck. We have committed to these projects in order to ensure Appalachian’s future and maintain the university’s position as the premier, public undergraduate institution of higher learning in the state. You can be proud of your diploma and be assured that its value appreciates with these improvements — an investment totaling more than $250 million. It’s my pleasure to share an update on Appalachian’s future and these projects with you.

More than 95,000 Appalachian graduates live and work in North Carolina, making real and powerful differences in our communities and our state’s economy. We have educators in every county in the state, meaning many of your children, extended family and friends are being taught by your former classmates. Given the level of their expertise, imagine the exponential impact of the 7,000-plus who are actively employed by schools in our state.

Best wishes to all of you for the new year. I'd like to start the year reiterating Appalachian is the premier, public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina. You can declare that with pride — and I hope you will. We are looking forward to 2019 — a year of exciting change for your alma mater. I hope you will take a moment to read more about our efforts to support our students, take a look at 2018 in review and enjoy some of our students' experiences as captured on Instagram.

We close the 2018 fall semester with a few striking numbers: More than 1,600 students crossed the stage at commencement last Saturday; more than 15 inches of snow blanketed the campus during Diego; we hosted the very first Sun Belt Conference Championship Game; won our fourth bowl game in so many years; and hired one terrific new head coach!

The value of our university’s educational environment and community engagement is in large sum the reason Appalachian was recently recognized by a number of national publications and ranking programs. Our students and others in the Appalachian Community serve in a number of ways. It is always a highlight of my day to engage with our stellar students. My very best wishes to you and your families during this Thanksgiving season.

Student success is always at the top of our priorities. A three-part feature on Appalachian Today highlights some of the strategies and initiatives we have in place to ensure your student succeeds financially, personally and academically. As your students share their Appalachian Experience, know we value and appreciate this opportunity to be part of their journey. Sharing student stories with you is important to us. Thank you for listening and sharing in return.

Like most of the Eastern seaboard, we are watching the progress of Hurricane Florence and putting into place safety protocols we have developed and practiced. Be assured, the safety of our all members of community is paramount.

Chancellor Sheri Everts’ message to alumni in AppDate, the August 2018 Alumni Newsletter.

While some of our Appalachian students take advantage of the summer break for travel, internships, summer jobs and quality time with their families, many are on campus for summer sessions. Summer classes make good sense for a number of reasons: They keep students fresh and in learning mode, often shorten the time to graduation and improve retention rates. Helping your student stay on track academically, emotionally and financially is always a priority for our faculty and staff, and there are bountiful services and resources available.

It’s been 50 years since Appalachian State Teachers College became Appalachian State University — a multidisciplinary, university with three undergraduate colleges: Arts and Sciences, Fine and Applied Arts, and Education. Some of you recall classes in the then-new Sanford Hall, seeing Doc Watson at the Boone Drug counter and maybe grabbing an ice cream sundae at the Tastee Freez — for a staggering 19 cents!

You represent a group more than 120,000 strong. Soon, nearly 3,600 more will join the ranks of those who can call themselves proud Appalachian graduates. As you know, the pride you felt when you crossed the stage strengthens over time. This is due in large part to the many accomplishments of our alumni, students, faculty and staff.

The UNC System Strategic Plan includes a commitment to fostering diverse and excellent institutions, including a goal to “systematically focus on recruitment, retention, and development of the most talented and diverse workforce possible at all levels.” In support of this goal, the strategic plan prescribes that the System will implement a plan to measure key success metrics, including faculty and staff engagement. As a part of this plan, each institution in the UNC System will participate in a systemwide employee engagement survey to gather input from faculty and staff about workplace engagement over the next five years.

In mid-July 2017, I announced University General Counsel Dayton Cole’s intention to retire effective June 1, 2018. With three decades of service to Appalachian, Dayton has dedicated the bulk of his career to supporting our campus’ students, faculty and staff. During his career, Dayton has received numerous recognitions and honors for his dedication and professional activities. Personally, I extend my sincere appreciation to Dayton for his commitment to Appalachian and for his collegiality in the good work we do each day. The search committee for Appalachian’s next general counsel has been formed and is beginning its work in earnest.

One of the aspects of my job that gives me great satisfaction is working on a campus of faculty and staff whose passion about sustainability drives them to innovate in both research and practice. This is what led me to establish the Appalachian Innovation Scholars Program last year, which funded five projects at $10,000 each.

Chancellor Sheri N. Everts’ message to the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees.

I am encouraged by our state leaders working together to repeal HB2, even as I am aware there are still concerns about the compromise bill, especially as voiced by members and advocates of our LGBTQIA community. I assure you Appalachian's commitment to equal access and opportunity for all of our students, faculty and staff remains steadfast.

I am pleased to announce that J.J. Brown has accepted my offer to serve as Appalachian’s vice chancellor for student development. This is good news for the entire Appalachian Community, which knows J.J. well – he has served with excellence and distinction as associate vice chancellor for student development and dean of students since 2010. He will begin his new position May 1.

Our first priority has been to provide support and assistance to the members of our community who are directly impacted by the Executive Order. Academic Affairs and the Office of International Education and Development are working with these individuals and will continue to support all members of our academic community as needed.

I am confident about what this new semester and new year hold for Appalachian, in large part because of your contributions. We have spent the past three years working hard as a community to advance many important initiatives. Initiatives, I am pleased to report, that are reflected in those of the UNC strategic plan. Your work – our work – which is rooted in a deep and lasting commitment to sustainability, supports every initiative in the system’s strategic plan.

As you may be aware, several local businesses and university buildings were vandalized with graffiti/spray paint over the weekend. Our University Police are working with the Boone Police to investigate the situation, and as new information becomes available, I will be sure you are kept apprised of progress in the investigation.

As we wind down 2016, there is much to celebrate!

Chancellor Sheri N. Everts’ message to the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees.

The UNC system is actively soliciting feedback from the public during each phase of the strategic planning process, and will be conducting an open forum on our campus in the Plemmons Student Union Rooms 137 A-B (Calloway Peak/MacRae Peak) on Wednesday, Nov. 9, from 2-4 p.m. Please plan to join me, along with representatives from UNC General Administration and the Board of Governors for this discussion.

Since fall 2014, nearly 900 faculty and staff have participated in a three hour face-to-face Interpersonal Violence Training. These members of the Appalachian community were in supervisory roles with employees or students and it is therefore essential they have the valuable information they need should someone turn to them for assistance.

Last week, the Board of Trustees and Faculty Senate passed resolutions in support of underrepresented students on our campus. Both bodies did so in response to recent incidents on campus related to chalking on sidewalks, including near-physical altercations and expressions of worry about possible physical attacks. These incidents raised questions about what the university can do to increase student safety.

The hearts and minds of many of us are with friends, family members and colleagues from the Charlotte area, as the city struggles to navigate challenges that are far too common throughout our nation. Appalachian has a community of faculty, staff and students with close ties to the Charlotte/Mecklenburg area.

Following a national search, James Bandy has been named special assistant to the chancellor for athletics compliance. He will begin working at Appalachian State University on Sept. 19. Bandy will replace Jonathan Reeder, who is assuming a new role as interim senior associate athletic director.

Welcome to the Fall 2016 semester. Move-in day is always so exciting! Today, we are expecting the arrival of about 3,100 new students to our campus. While we won’t have final numbers for a few weeks, we are anticipating the largest, most diverse class in Appalachian’s history. Please join me in welcoming the newest members of the Appalachian Community.

Please join Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Darrell Kruger, the vice chancellors and me for two campus-wide, “town hall” style conversations that will take place during the 2016-17 academic year.

At Appalachian, we promote a spirit of inclusion that inspires students, faculty and staff to form relationships well beyond graduation. Our students and alumni think critically and understand the responsibilities of community engagement.

Chancellor Sheri N. Everts’ opening message to the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees.

Our hearts and thoughts go out to those touched by the tragic shooting in Orlando this weekend. Our community mourns for those lost and we stand in solidarity with the families, the city of Orlando and the LGBTQ community to declare that hate will not win. While there is much strength found in the power of community to face tragedy, I encourage each of us to seek out the support needed to deal with such loss and grief.

I am writing to share that I am recovering quickly from my recent surgery and I am back at work. While no one wishes to deal with health issues, I was comfortable knowing that our good work continued and I extend appreciation to my colleagues for their support and assistance during this time. This note also brings my sincere thanks for all the well wishes I received from the Appalachian Community. Your support was greatly appreciated.

Monday morning I met with three students who represented the HB2 student protestors who are occupying the first floor in the Administration Building. They shared a list of concerns from the entire occupying group.

With the passage of House Bill 2 by the North Carolina Legislature and its signing into law on Wednesday, March 23 by Governor Pat McCrory, many in our community are concerned about how it will affect individuals on our campus and across the state.

Chancellor Everts shares a New Year message with the Appalachian Community.

On August 21^st an announcement was made about parking alternatives for the two Thursday night football games (October 22^nd and November 5^th).  I have listened to concerns from our community and we will be implementing additional parking options beginning with the October 22^nd game.  Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to develop solutions to keep our campus operating efficiently.

Chancellor Sheri N. Everts shares a welcome message with members of the Appalachian State University campus at the beginning of the Fall 2015 semester.

Last year at this time, I introduced myself, thanked you for all you do for our students, and mentioned that I would primarily spend my first year, listening. Some of you have been asking recently, what did you hear during your first year and what have you done with that information? So, with your permission, I’ll structure my remarks around those two questions.

Chancellor Sheri N. Everts is pleased to announce that Debra Covington is joining the office in the role of Interim Executive Assistant to the Chancellor. Most recently, Covington served as Director of Marketing and Engagement for the Walker College of Business.

The search for our next UNC system president is critical to the future of Appalachian, our system and our state. Your input is important in shaping the leadership profile of our next leader. Please review the included information about how you can participate and share your perspective.

In May 2012, a university Interpersonal Violence Task Force was charged, and later that year they submitted a full report with recommendations for the 2012-13 academic year. With the acceptance and implementation of all recommendations in January 2014, the university’s Interpersonal Violence Council was established to continue: assembling and recording data; reviewing best practices in prevention, education, and services; and recommending short- and long-term strategies, practices, and policies regarding sexual assault and other forms of interpersonal violence.

Last semester I requested the Chancellor’s Commission on Diversity develop specific, actionable plans to recruit - and retain - students, faculty and staff of color to our campus. I am pleased to inform you the commission is finalizing new recommendations that add to earlier recommended action steps. There has been much good work done and I commend the commission for its efforts.

The news we received last night about the death of one of our students saddens me deeply. This was a devastating announcement for all of us, and I want to emphasize that there is no evidence to suggest any threat to the university community.

College campuses across the nation, and in North Carolina in particular, were instrumental to the Civil Rights movement 50 years ago. America’s youth, particularly college students, forced our nation to face ugly truths and begin the process of reconciling them. It is fitting that college campuses continue to be a significant and important part of holding our nation accountable for institutionalized racism and acts of violence and injustice.

At Appalachian, our students are engaging in multiple and varied experiences – both at home and abroad – to increase their knowledge of global issues, regions and cultures, improve their intercultural skills and demonstrate global citizenship.

It is with great sadness that I reach out to you about the death of student Jeremy A. Sprinkle. Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with Jeremy’s family, loved ones and friends. At this difficult time, it is imperative that we join together in care and concern as we mourn his loss. Our community can and must share the message that no one needs to be alone when navigating difficult times. If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out.

Current events have focused attention on global health concerns. You can rest assured that our campus is participating with many key public health agencies to provide thoughtful and excellent health care and community safety for the university community.

I am pleased to announce the search committee for the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor. The following members of our community have graciously agreed to serve...

I want you to know that the safety and well-being of our students is my top priority.

I am deeply saddened to share with you that the search for our missing student Anna Marie Smith has ended tragically.

The Appalachian community has been shaken that one of our own, student Anna M. Smith, is missing and possibly in danger. We are focusing our thoughts on Anna and her family, and working toward her safe return.

Good Evening. Thank you for the opportunity to share a few thoughts on this important occasion. Tonight we remember and honor those whose lives have been forever changed by interpersonal violence. We stand together here in the darkness to shine a bright and revealing light on this troubling blight on society and, sadly, our community.

Appalachian’s 26th annual university convocation will be held Thursday, September 4, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. in the George M. Holmes Convocation Center. This year’s distinguished speaker is Mr. Wayne Henderson, master luthier, musician and the inspiration for the 2014 Common Reading Program selection Clapton’s Guitar: Watching Wayne Henderson Build the Perfect Instrument by Allen St. John.

It is with mixed emotions I share with you that Charlie Cobb has accepted the position of Director of Athletics for Georgia State University beginning this fall. While I wish Charlie the best in his new endeavor, his leadership and collegiality will be missed at Appalachian.

Appalachian State University has a long history as a leader in student health and safety within our system, state and region. In August 2013, President Tom Ross launched the UNC Campus Security Initiative. I commend Appalachian’s leadership on this important work and support this collaboration with our UNC colleagues as we continue strengthening the policies, procedures and resources in place to keep our students safer and support them in times of crisis.

As Appalachian Athletics begins its first day in the Sun Belt Conference, I join you in supporting our student-athletes. That is exactly what they are – students first – who also show the amazing dedication and work ethic to participate in their sport at the college level. I thank them for the commitment to education and their dedication to their sport.