Budget Update from Chancellor Sheri Everts

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

Budget news from Raleigh looks promising as the North Carolina legislature has a final two-year budget bill moving through the General Assembly and Governor Cooper has announced he will sign it into law. We expect to have a State budget by the end of the week. There is much to celebrate in this budget, and it represents an incredible amount of work on behalf of our legislators and our Governor.

With support from the UNC System Board of Governors, UNC System leadership and App State’s Board of Trustees, my leadership team and I have advocated for the resources and facilities our campus deserves to engage our mission at its highest level. Our elected officials have carried these messages to Raleigh, and have worked tirelessly to ensure our university has been well represented throughout the budget development process.

The biennial budget represents excellent news for App State, and historical record support for our university and the work we do. While we will share more information soon, the highlights are below.

Compensation:

  • A 5% across-the-board salary increase, which will be broken down into a 2.5% increase for this fiscal year, and a 2.5% increase in the 2022-23 fiscal year. The 2.5% increase for the current fiscal year will be retroactive to July 1, 2021.
  • A $1,000 bonus for full-time State employees and local education employees, and an additional $500 bonus to employees in at least one of the following employee groups: 1) Employees with an annual salary of less than $75,000, 2) Law enforcement officers, 3) Employees in the Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice, with job duties requiring frequent in-person contact, or 4) Employees of the Department of Health and Human Services in a position at a 24-hour residential or treatment facility.
  • Retired state employees will not receive raises, but they will get 5% cost-of-living adjustment bonuses over two years: 2% this fiscal year and an additional 3% in the 2022-23 fiscal year.
  • Additionally, the budget provides $10 million to the UNC System faculty recruitment and retention fund over the next two years.

In preparation for an expected salary increase, UNC System Chancellors have asked the System to provide authorization as soon as possible, so we may include this raise in December paychecks. Additional authorization for merit-based salary increases has also been requested.

Enrollment Growth:

  • This budget provides funds to the UNC Board of Governors to be used to fully fund enrollment growth at constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina. As you know, App State’s overall enrollment has grown by 3.1% since last year.

UNC System Laboratory Schools:

  • $3 million in each year of the biennium in additional funds to UNC Laboratory Schools for support services as the program expands to operate 9 schools.

Capital Repairs and Renovation/Initiative Support:

The budget allocates nearly $123 million in funding for App State's Capital/Repairs and Renovation/Initiative support. This breaks down into $79 million for capital projects and $43.15 million for one-time repair and renovation project support. Additional details are below.

Capital project support funding included:

  • $54 million in non-recurring funds in the current fiscal year to begin work on App State’s Innovation District Project.
  • $25 million for renovations to Peacock Hall ($12.5 million per year of the biennium).

We will share information about the plans for these projects soon.

One-time repair and renovation project support is included for the following projects:

  • $20 million: Edwin Duncan Hall Renovation
  • $10 million: Wey Hall Partial Renovation–Building Systems
  • $5 million: Wey Hall Envelope & Roof Repair
  • $1.5 million: Campus-Wide Electronic Door Access Installation
  • $1.3 million: Walker Hall Envelope & Structural Repair
  • $1 million: Smith Wright Hall Roof Repair & Replacement
  • $800,000: Edwin Duncan Hall HVAC & Lighting Improvements
  • $600,000: Chapell Wilson Hall Gutter/Soffit/Roof Replacement
  • $500,000: Walker Hall HVAC Repair & Upgrades
  • $500,000: Anne Belk Hall Hot Water Piping Replacement
  • $300,000: Facilities Operations/Motor Pool Wall Repairs
  • $300,000: John E. Thomas Hall Envelope
  • $250,000: John E. Thomas Hall Chiller Compressor Upgrades
  • $250,000: University Hall Sprinkler System
  • $200,000: Holmes Convocation Center Chiller
  • $200,000: Howard Street Hall Road Opening
  • $200,000: Peacock Hall Elevator Upgrade
  • $150,000: Holmes Convocation Center VAV Replacement
  • $100,000: B.B. Dougherty Chiller Repair

Additional Support:

  • $500,000 in non-recurring funds for An App State Rural Medical Resource Initiative.
  • $133,333 for the App State Energy Center

The support for App State in this budget speaks volumes about our university, the quality of the work done by our faculty, staff and students and the trust that state and UNC System leadership place in us. Like so many, I celebrate the increased compensation for our faculty and staff, which recognizes the work they do to support our students every day. I know you also join me in thanking our elected officials, our Board of Governors and UNC System leadership for their advocacy for App State.


Sheri Everts, Chancellor