Happy New Year!

I am excited about the possibilities 2016 holds for our campus.

Last year, Appalachian achieved some incredible accomplishments, and enjoyed some terrific successes.

• We received national accolades for research, study abroad and sustainability, celebrated both our history of and our successes in increasing our diversity of thought, belief and community.
• We surpassed $21 million in service hours contributed to our local community and topped the Campaign for Appalachian goal of $200 million.
• And to top off a year of successes, Mountaineers traveled to Montgomery and brought home a 31-29 victory, the Camellia Bowl trophy, the honor of being the first team in the nation to win 11 games in our first year of eligibility.

There is much to do in 2016. This year, I will continue to devote time and resources to:

• Providing support for our faculty and staff,
• Continuing a strong focus on wellness, health and safety for our campus community,
• Setting standards for sustainability and stewardship,
• Integrating global learning into and beyond our classrooms,
• Developing innovative and creative opportunities for our students to engage in and showcase their research and civic engagement, and
• Maintaining a steady enrollment, while increasing the diversity of our community.

In the coming weeks, you will see efforts directed toward education around the Connect NC public improvement bond referendum.

If passed, this bond package will have a significant impact on Appalachian, and better position our university to improve the physical and financial wellbeing of North Carolina citizens.

Funding from the Connect NC public improvement bond will provide $70 million for Appalachian to build a facility for the Beaver College of Health Sciences. Since its founding in 2008, the number of students taught by College of Health Sciences faculty has doubled, and departments in the college are located in numerous locations across the Appalachian campus. A facility for the college will reduce current constraints Appalachian faces in meeting workforce demand for health care professionals, particularly in rural areas of our state. In addition, this initiative will have a positive impact on our entire campus community. More communications about the Connect NC bond, as well as other important initiatives at Appalachian, will be forthcoming.

In the meantime, I wish you a happy, healthy and productive 2016!

Sheri N. Everts
Chancellor