Appalachian State University

Office of the Chancellor

Inside Appalachian

November 2022

Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, November 18, 2022

With a chill in the air and Thanksgiving Break approaching next week, the final push toward the end of this busy semester is upon us.

It’s the time of year when we look to traditions, and today I enjoyed participating in a tradition that has been going strong at App State for 42 years. The AppKIDS service project, which is organized by our Staff Senate, supports local children in need with an annual shopping trip, providing them with winter clothing, school supplies and hygiene items. I was honored to host 100 local kindergarten–12th grade students who participated in our 2022 AppKIDS shopping program for lunch and provide each of them with a book. The students also enjoyed a science demonstration by Reich College of Education’s Jeff Goodman, senior lecturer in the media studies and science education programs; a presentation by Dr. Baker Perry, professor of geography and a National Geographic Explorer, on his Mount Everest expeditions; visits with Team Sunergy, App State Police, the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences and other campus representatives; photos with Yosef; and special access to the football field at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Those of us who have volunteered to spend time with these children can tell you this is one of the most rewarding experiences a person can have. Some of our staff who were beneficiaries of this program as children now volunteer as shoppers.

During the UNC System Board of Governors meeting held earlier this week, I participated in a panel discussion, along with NC State Chancellor Woodson, N.C. A&T Chancellor Martin and UNC Pembroke Chancellor Cummings for the third discussion in a series on the changing landscape of public university leadership, led by Gov. David Powers and moderated by PBS North Carolina’s David Crabtree. I was privileged to join this group of longest-serving Chancellors in the UNC System as we shared our perspectives.

The Board recognized two members of App State’s police department who received Awards of Valor during a ceremony on Nov. 10. Capt. Johnny Brown and Officer Tylor Greene were honored for their acts of bravery and heroism. On behalf of the entire App State Community, I congratulate them on this well-deserved honor and extend our thanks for their outstanding service to App State and the greater community.

The Board also approved a new performance-based funding model for System institutions. This new funding model will incentivize enrollment growth as well as student outcomes that include university productivity, affordability, graduation rates and align with the goals outlined in the Board’s 2022–27 Strategic Plan. As it has been developed, discussions around this new funding model have been taking place on our campus and across the System. We will continue to share updates on the funding model and what it will mean for App State.

This week our campus celebrated International Education Week — a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment. At App State, it is a celebration of the global engagement that takes place throughout the year. Events included educational discussions, films, career development opportunities and multiple international art exhibits.

Throughout the week, our veterans and heroes had opportunities to experience several programs, displays and resource showcases during Veterans Week. These were terrific opportunities to socialize and build community, as well as to engage in professional development and preparation for career advancement. The week’s events conclude with a silent auction benefiting our Student Veteran Resource Center this evening, a Heroes Day Tailgate tomorrow and a celebration of veterans, members of the military, law enforcement officers, first responders and other heroes during the Mountaineers football game against Old Dominion. I look forward to seeing our veterans and heroes, as well as our senior players, featured tomorrow during the Mountaineers’ final home football game.

As flu season intensifies, I encourage everyone to get flu shots and COVID boosters, stay home if you are feeling unwell and get medical attention if symptoms progress. Time and again, we have demonstrated we will do what it takes to keep our campus healthy. Let’s all be sure we continue doing so in order to finish the semester strong.

Next week, App State will be closed Thursday and Friday in observance of Thanksgiving, and I wish everyone a safe and happy break. I am thankful for our App State Community and the incredible contributions you have made to our university — and beyond.

Sheri Everts
Chancellor

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Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, November 11, 2022

Each year on Veterans Day, we hold a ceremony to express our gratitude to all veterans, and to our campus heroes in particular. It is our honor to recognize their service and selfless dedication to sustain our country and protect freedoms worldwide.

We are proud to honor the 255 student veterans, 93 active-duty military students and 72 staff and faculty veterans who enrich our campus community each day. With nearly 700 military spouses and children enrolled, App State is among the UNC System institutions with the highest enrollment of military dependents and spouses. We honor their sacrifices as well.

App State has earned longstanding recognition as a Military Friendly School, and for providing support and valuable resources to military-affiliated students and active-duty service members. We consider it a privilege to uphold our commitment to their success.

This morning, U.S. Army Reserve veteran and graduate student Morgan Gibbard spoke at our annual Veterans Day ceremony. Morgan is pursuing a Master of Social Work after graduating from App State in May 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in the same field. Morgan, who is from Boone, continues a family tradition of military service that goes back five generations. She served in the U.S. Army Reserves for nine years and was a combat medic in Kuwait.

We thank Morgan for representing App State veterans at our ceremony this morning, and we thank all veterans for their service to our country.

App State’s 2022 Veterans Week continues through Nov. 19 with events programmed by Student Veteran Services and other campus groups to honor and support students, faculty and staff who served — and continue to serve — in our armed forces.

Last week, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs J.J. Brown led a trip of student leaders who traveled to Washington, D.C. The group had an opportunity to network with App State alumni living and working in the area, enjoy our national museums and monuments, and engage in a service project at East Potomac Park, led by App State alumnus and retired Army National Guard Staff Sgt. James Pierce ’09. We are so pleased to be able to provide students with opportunities to build community and engage in service-learning experiences with one another and develop important professional connections with App State alumni.

On Monday, I hosted this month’s Staff Connect, and this afternoon the November Faculty Club reception will take place in the Plemmons Student Union Solarium. I am pleased to sponsor these events, which allow our faculty and staff casual opportunities to interact with their professional colleagues and develop connections that make App State an even stronger community.

Earlier this week, members of my leadership team and I met with representatives from the Faculty Senate Chancellor’s Advisory Committee. The primary topic of discussion was the UNC System’s ongoing evaluation of university programs. Last year, legislation was passed charging the UNC System with a study of all System programs. This project is underway, with representation from each UNC System university and the Faculty Assembly at regular meetings with the research partners engaged to conduct and present data to System leadership and the Board of Governors. During this meeting, we also discussed Provost Norris’ most recent meeting with the App State Faculty Hickory Task Force. This group has developed a report with recommendations after reviewing and synthesizing input from all of the Hickory listening sessions. Provost Norris will provide a summary of her meeting with this faculty task force at the Nov. 14 Faculty Senate meeting.

I am pleased to share that App State is one of five University of North Carolina System institutions awarded $3.4 million in grant funding from the National Science Foundation to support the recruitment and success of underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Beginning in spring 2023, the program will support 100 App State students over the course of the grant’s five-year period. Each student scholar will receive a $2,000 scholarship per year, as well as $3,000 to conduct summer research under the direction of a faculty mentor.

Tuesday night opened the 2022–23 season for our App State men’s and women’s basketball programs. The men opened with a big win over Warren Wilson on Tuesday night, scoring the most points in App State history, while the women played strong in a game against UNC Charlotte that went into double overtime. Tonight, our volleyball program will host the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana at the Holmes Center, where veterans will again be recognized.

As we take time today to thank the brave individuals who have served our country through their military service, I encourage you to reach out to veterans in any way you can. On this day and throughout the year, let’s take the time to listen closely to the stories and needs of our veterans and thank them for their service to our country.

On behalf of the students, faculty and staff of App State, thank you!

Sheri Everts
Chancellor

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Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, November 4, 2022

This week, Dr. Jennifer Dalton, associate professor of communication sciences and disorders/speech-language pathology at App State, was among three faculty members announced as 2023 Faculty Fellows by the University of North Carolina System.

Along with colleagues at N.C. Central and Western Carolina universities, Dr. Dalton will spend a year researching teaching methods and best practices, focusing on how the pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of higher education within the context of culture, workforce and technology. We look forward to hearing about their findings during academic conferences in 2023 and 2024. Congratulations to Dr. Dalton on earning this professional recognition for her work.

Last week, we recognized the 2022–23 class of Fleming Scholars and celebrated alongside the many visionary individuals who make their scholarships possible. The Dr. Willie C. Fleming Scholarship was established by alumni and named in honor of Dr. Fleming ’80 ’84, a two-time graduate of App State and the university’s first cabinet-level chief diversity officer, for his many contributions to App State. The Fleming Scholarship, now in its eighth year, is a merit-based program that covers full in-state tuition and fees for up to four consecutive years. Our outstanding Fleming Scholars represent Dr. Fleming’s legacy and dedication to the advancement of diversity and inclusion at App State, and I look forward to watching them develop as leaders in the university community and beyond.

On Wednesday, App State was again recognized by the Sun Belt as having the best overall graduation rate in the conference. This speaks to the success of all of our students, including our student-athletes. Congratulations to all of our students, and to the faculty and staff who teach, mentor and support them every day.

For the second consecutive year, App State will be represented at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference. Six App State students are traveling with Chief Sustainability Officer Lee Ball and Department of Economics Chair and Professor Dave McEvoy to the conference, held this year in Egypt. These students are enrolled in a study abroad course that aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental issues regarding climate change, the negotiations process and the political dynamics of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. This is incredibly valuable real-world experience, and I am proud that App State continues to be represented at this preeminent international conference.

As planning for the App State @ Hickory Campus continues, this week Provost Norris, along with members of her leadership team, met with a task force of faculty representing each of App State’s degree-granting colleges and schools. This team has been reviewing and synthesizing feedback about the Hickory Campus. They continue to contribute and provide feedback as Academic Affairs begins implementing academic programs and services for the fall 2023 semester. Next week, when the Provost and I, along with several of my Vice Chancellors, meet with the Chancellor’s Faculty Senate Advisory Committee, we will continue discussions regarding logistics and planning with them as well.

Nearly 125 years after being founded to provide access to education in the rural areas of our state, we continue this legacy, building upon it to foster groundbreaking research, to provide students with meaningful, global experiences, and to expand our capacity to continue to serve the people of our state and our region.

Sheri Everts
Chancellor

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October 2022

September 2022

August 2022

July 2022

Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, July 29, 2022

With the first day of classes just over three weeks away, campus is bustling with activity. The second Summer Session is in full swing, many middle and high school students participating in academic and athletic camps are enjoying the late summer Boone climate, and An Appalachian Summer Festival is wrapping up its 38th season.

On Saturday, we celebrated the patrons of An Appalachian Summer Festival with a toast to their steadfast commitment to sustaining artistic excellence in the High Country. App State’s annual celebration of the performing and visual arts has enhanced the cultural life of the community for nearly four decades, and we thank these donors for their vision and generosity.

On Monday, we held the inaugural meeting of the advisory board for App State’s newest lab school, the App State Academy at Elkin. We are excited to welcome approximately 100 of App State’s youngest students to begin their academic year in just a few weeks. The new App State Academy at Elkin will utilize a “school-within-a-school” model and will serve students in second through fourth grades. As we continue to build on the success that the App State Academy at Middle Fork has achieved over the last four years, we have seen strong support from the UNC System Board of Governors and the North Carolina General Assembly. App State is the only UNC System institution to operate two lab schools, and we greatly appreciate the trust placed in us to replicate this model in other North Carolina school districts. Thank you to Dean Melba Spooner, Dr. Hannah Reeder, Dr. Amie Snow, their team at the Reich College of Education, Elkin City Schools, Elkin City Schools Superintendent Myra Cox and Academy Principal Emma Hatfield-Sidden for their leadership and dedication toward this program’s development.

Building renovations are beginning at our App State @ Hickory Campus, our Child Development Center expansion project is nearly complete, and this week, our first Resident Assistants began moving into New River Residence Hall. On Tuesday, we hosted UNC Board of Governors members Philip Byers and John Fraley for a tour of campus to provide them with updates on these projects, and the many others we have underway. Our tour included a visit to the site of the Innovation District, and updates on the expansion and renovation of Peacock Hall, as well as renovations to many of our other academic buildings, thanks to allocations from the best biennial budget in App’s history. We thank the members of the Board of Governors for their advocacy, and the members of the General Assembly and North Carolina Governor Cooper for the critical financial support that is allowing us to continue our core mission of ensuring access to higher education for the people of North Carolina, while advancing economic development and vitality in the region.

Yesterday concluded the Chancellor’s Summer Institute for academic department chairs, and I was pleased to host this group for a reception to celebrate their thoughtful engagement during the many sessions. Over the last three weeks, these individuals have demonstrated their passionate and unwavering commitment to the success of our students. App State is fortunate to have such an outstanding group of chairs leading our academic departments.

A special thanks to the dedicated faculty who have been working so hard throughout the summer months teaching our students and continuing exciting research, and to our staff, who support our faculty, students and guests, ensuring a safe, welcoming and beautiful environment for all. With the excitement and anticipation of a new academic year before us, late summer invites us to pause in the midst of our celebrations and preparations, enjoy the beauty of the mountains and savor the moments that mark the season. I hope you can all find some time to do so.

Sheri Everts
Chancellor

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Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, July 22, 2022
On Wednesday, the UNC Board of Governors approved our new mission statement, which was approved by the Board of Trustees in June. The new mission statement was created as part of the university’s new five-year strategic plan, which was developed through a comprehensive, transparent and collective effort led by our University Planning and Priorities Council. I look forward to advancing App State under this new, thoughtful mission — one recognizing the university as a long-established public institution that honors our founding commitment to educational access and excellence and our rural mountain heritage through teaching, research and service.

The Board of Governors also approved the next steps in the development of App State’s Innovation District. The project’s first phase of development will include:
- The district’s first academic building, the Conservatory for Biodiversity Education and Research, which will include cross-disciplinary collaboration and encourage K–12 partnerships, and will be funded by a $54 million allocation in the 2021–22 state budget;
- The development of faculty and staff housing units, which will help meet App State employees’ housing needs amid housing scarcity and cost inflation in the area, and which will be funded through a public-private partnership, with no capital outlay by the university; and
- A zero-carbon district energy system that will begin to transition campus away from steam power, and which will also be funded through a public-private partership. App State has a long-established reputation as a leader in the renewable energy space, and the university continues exploring renewable energy options that will establish a national example for sustainable energy solutions.
These important advancements build on the university’s founding mission of providing access to higher education and its nearly 125-year history of collaborating with communities throughout the region to innovate and build resilience.

On Tuesday, my leadership team and I met with members of the App State @ Hickory Campus Advisory Council — comprising business, education, government and civic leaders from Hickory and the surrounding area — to discuss the area’s needs and how we can meet them with academic offerings. It was an engaging discussion covered by media from Hickory and Charlotte, to Orlando and Boston. We look forward to continuing this process with academic leaders and prospective students as we look to welcoming students to the Hickory Campus in fall 2023.

Congratulations are in order for Team Sunergy, which secured a second-place finish in the 2022 American Solar Challenge and earned the competition’s esteemed Electrical Design Award. During the seven-day road race, this team of students traveled more than 1,400 miles from Independence, Missouri, to Twin Falls, Idaho, in the multi-occupant vehicle they designed and built for the competition. Since 2016, the team has earned top three wins in either the American Solar Challenge or its companion competition, the Formula Sun Grand Prix. Through their continued participation — and wins — in these international competitions, Team Sunergy students are serving as examples of App State's established status as a sustainability ambassador for our state, the country, and the world.

This summer, we are continuing our Department Chair Summer Institute — a three-week program we began last summer, which offers opportunities for academic department chairs to engage with one another, as well as with members of my leadership team, for in-depth discussions about topics ranging from funding for the university, to enrollment goals, to diversity and inclusion strategies, and much more. The discussions have been rich and collaborative. I joined them to share the university’s process for implementing the App State allocations included in the 2022–23 state budget bill — including the 3.5% raise that all full-time faculty and staff will receive, retroactive to July 1, 2022, as well as sustained funding support for enrollment growth and $9 million to ready the App State Hickory Campus for students in fall 2023. Yesterday, we toured our newest residence hall — New River Hall — which will open to students in time for the fall semester. I thank Provost Norris and her leadership team, in particular Vice Provost of Faculty Policies and Development Neva Specht and Dr. Susan Colby, Interim Executive Director for the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success, for presenting this important professional development opportunity for the academic department chairs, and I thank the chairs for their commitment to excellence and their steadfast support of App State students and faculty.

As the UNC System marks 50 years since state legislation was passed creating the consolidated, 16-university System, we were pleased to celebrate the class of 1972 during our Alumni Weekend festivities. I enjoyed spending time with members of the class who graduated the year we joined the UNC System, and looking back at some key moments from that year. App State has grown into a major university, and while much has changed, much has stayed the same.
- In 1972, App State Chancellor Herbert Wey reported to the Board of Trustees that the university’s enrollment was continuing to grow to support the needs of the area, and reported just under 8,000 students. As our enrollment has grown to more than 20,000, many of our students are online and adult learners. We have grown our underrepresented population to 18%, and nearly one-third of our students are first-generation college students.
- In 1972, App State was expanding its partnerships with surrounding communities and two-year colleges to meet the needs of the region. Today, we provide a seamless pathway for students enrolled at nine partner community colleges to complete their degrees at App State, through the Aspire Appalachian program.
- In 1972, App State was also expanding its academic programs to meet future labor and industry demands. In a few weeks, we will welcome the first class of our new Bachelor of Science in veterinary technology program, and in 2024, we will begin our new Master of Science in occupational therapy program. Both of these programs will help meet critical labor shortages and continue App State’s contributions to our state’s economic well-being.
As we continue responding to the needs of the state and region, firmly rooted by our founding commitment to educational access and excellence, we are excited for the possibilities ahead.

Sheri Everts
Chancellor
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Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, July 15, 2022
With An Appalachian Summer Festival underway and a terrific slate of Appalachian Alumni Weekend events beginning today, it’s exciting to have so many activities returning to our summer calendars, and energizing to reconnect with those from whom we have been apart.

On Monday, Governor Roy Cooper signed the 2022-23 state budget bill, which includes many benefits for App State students, faculty and staff, including:
- An additional 1% pay increase for state employees was approved, adding to the 2.5% across-the-board raise already budgeted for this year. All full-time faculty and staff will receive a 3.5% raise, retroactive to July 1, 2022.
- $9 million for phase one upgrades to the App State Hickory Campus.
- Sustained enrollment growth funding.
- Additional funding for the two UNC System lab school programs that App State operates — the Appalachian State University Academy at Middle Fork and the Appalachian State University Academy at Elkin.
- Sustained funding in the amount of $200,000 for our Appalachian Energy Center.
- Non-recurring funding in the amount of $225,000 to support App State’s Blue Cross NC Institute for Health and Human Services.
These latest allocations amplify an unprecedented level of support for our university in the best biennial budget in App State’s history.

With support from the UNC System Board of Governors, UNC System leadership and App State’s Board of Trustees, my leadership team and I consistently advocate for the resources and facilities befitting the exemplary teaching, research and service taking place at App State. We greatly appreciate our elected officials who have ensured that your accomplishments have been recognized throughout the biennial budget process.

To recap what was included for App State in the biennial budget in November, read my message from November 16, 2021. To learn more about the North Carolina budget process and App State’s budget, visit App State’s Budget Central website.

As I shared in June, the UNC System will soon receive formal instructions from the Office of State Human Resources and the Office of State Budget and Management for implementing the raise process. We stand ready to quickly implement the annual raise process for App State employees as soon as we have this guidance.

As we welcome App State alumni to campus this weekend, we are celebrating them with a lineup of festive events that recognizes scholarship donors and the impact of their giving to App State students and their families, commemorates 50 years since the graduation of the Class of 1972, and honors our remarkable 2022 Alumni Awards recipients and the contributions they have made to App State, their communities and beyond.

Successful, major universities grow and change over time, and as we continue to innovate in response to the needs of our state and region, we remain true to our founding mission: to provide access to education. These exceptional alumni — and the countless others they have influenced — have helped sustain this mission for past and future generations.

At the signature event of the weekend, the App State Alumni Association will recognize alumni who are leaders in their fields from the College of Arts & Sciences, Beaver College of Health Sciences, College of Fine & Applied Arts, Hayes School of Music, Honors College, Reich College of Education and Walker College of Business. The evening's highlight will be a special recognition of four extraordinary alumni who are making real and powerful differences in the lives of current and future App State students, and changing the world for the better through their commitment to excellence:
- Mark Ricks ’89 — Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.
- June Hege ’65 — Outstanding Alumni Award recipient.
- John Roos ’84 — Outstanding Alumni Award recipient.
- Douglas Middleton Jr. ’15 ’18 — Young Alumni Award recipient.
All of these individuals have made an impact on past, current and prospective students through their work, community service and engagement, and it is our honor to celebrate them.

As summer progresses and we prepare for the start of the new academic year, we look to our past and are inspired by the potential in App State’s future. Thank you for making App State the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, and for your dedication to ensuring that distinction endures.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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June 2022

Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, June 17, 2022
Yesterday and today, our Board of Trustees held their June meeting, and this week, I also had the pleasure of providing a university update to the Staff Senate, as well as speaking with retired faculty and staff at a reception held in their honor.

This week also marked the first universitywide Juneteenth commemoration. Thank you so much to the staff and students who helped ensure the university’s recognition of this important day in our nation’s history, and to everyone who attended the event.

Following are highlights from my remarks at today’s Board of Trustees meeting:
- The Trustees approved the five-year Strategic Plan (2022-2027) — developed by the University Planning and Priorities Council — and the new mission statement, which was informed by this process. We will present the mission statement to the Board of Governors for approval in July.
  
  The mission statement and strategic plan address our fundamental purpose of teaching, research and service; our key pillars of sustainability and resilience and diversity of thought, belief and community; and our priority to invest in our employees. Our Climate Action Plan and Annual Diversity Report are two examples of tools we are using along with annual updates to track and communicate the overall impact of the strategic plan. Assessment tools will include a universitywide financial plan; climate action plan; strategic plan for the research/creative endeavors enterprise; diversity, equity and inclusion plan; and a comprehensive fundraising campaign.
  
  I thank everyone who has engaged with this collective process, which has been comprehensive, transparent and collaborative. Upon the approval of the mission by the Board of Governors, we will share the finalized mission and strategic plan broadly with campus.
- After breaking ground in March on the first academic building of the Innovation District, we shared our continued progress with the Trustees. Phase One of the Innovation District will include an academic facility, faculty and staff housing and a District Energy System.
- I am excited to announce that we are completing our P3 residence halls project — on time and under budget! New River Hall is progressing on schedule and will open in time for students to move in for the fall semester. New River Hall will have just over 750 beds and replaces Justice, Gardner and Coltrane residence halls. The final component of the P3 project — the demolition of Eggers and Bowie residence halls — began in May and will continue into the fall semester. I extend my thanks to Vice Chancellor J.J. Brown for his steadfast leadership with this project, which has modernized living spaces for our students, helping our recruitment and retention efforts.
- We are moving forward with plans for opening the Hickory Campus to students in fall 2023. Our Hickory Campus Advisory Council will help evaluate the needs of the community and greater area. Partnerships with the City of Hickory and other local government, education, civic and business leaders in the area will be key to meeting the educational needs of the region. Their experience and expertise will assist in making App State Hickory a true collaboration supporting the Greater Hickory metro area. Simultaneously, Provost Norris continues to work with her academic leadership team to assess opportunities to meet the academic needs of the region.
I hope you will take the time to read my full remarks to the Board. They reflect the incredible work you are doing and a trajectory of excellence for App State that will continue for generations to come.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, June 10, 2022
At a reception in Raleigh on Wednesday, we thanked representatives from the General Assembly and Governor Roy Cooper’s office for the best budget in university history, which included across-the-board legislative increases for university employees. As many of you know, North Carolina’s biennial budget, passed last November, included a 2.5% salary increase in the 2022–23 fiscal year. The UNC System will issue specific instructions to its campuses for implementing the raise process, upon receiving formal instructions from the Office of State Human Resources and the Office of State Budget and Management. Once we have these final instructions, we will share the information with you and will quickly implement the annual raise process for App State employees.

On Monday, Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 262 (“Employee Leave to Recognize a Day of Cultural, Religious, or Personal Significance”). Following this, President Hans authorized UNC System institutions to provide eight hours of paid Personal Observance Leave to all leave-earning staff and faculty annually, effective immediately. The leave can be used for any single day of personal significance, including days of cultural or religious importance. More information may be found on this FAQ page, and further information about reporting this leave will be communicated prior to the next payroll reporting period.

This week, we were joined by Representative John Szoka, North Carolina Assistant Secretary for the Environment Sushma Masemore, and Sarah Hooper Dorner, senior sustainability coordinator for Holder Construction Company and two-time App State alumna, for the 10th annual Appalachian Energy Summit. Each summer, App State hosts representatives of the UNC System and other regional colleges and universities, along with energy managers and government and industry leaders at this multiday event. These thought leaders and practitioners share ideas and put into action ecological, financial and social processes designed to improve energy efficiency in the UNC System, the state and beyond. Because of the work accomplished at this summit, the institutions in the UNC System, together with industry partners, have avoided nearly $1.6 billion in utility costs. App State’s proportion of these savings is $62.4 million. Working together, we are on track to realize our shared goal of $2 billion in avoided costs by 2025. These are impressive financial gains for North Carolina taxpayers, and I’m proud that App State has been the driving force behind this symposium of scholarship and innovation.

Also this week, we congratulated our graduating mini-Mountaineers from the Middle Fork Academy. These fifth graders worked hard, supported by their families and the dedicated Academy teachers and staff, and they have bright futures ahead of them. As they advance to middle school, I know we all look forward to seeing what they achieve, and we hope to see them cross the commencement stage at their college on the mountain in a few more years!

In August, we will open App State’s second laboratory school, and I congratulate Dr. Amie Snow on her new role as the Director of Curriculum and Federal Programs for both App State Academy schools beginning in July. Amie has held the positions of Director of Curriculum and Instruction and Interim Principal at the Middle Fork Academy, and her passion for education will serve even more children in the coming months and years.

We welcome new principals for both laboratory schools:
- Sean Gaillard will become the new principal for Middle Fork Academy on July 1. Sean has a distinguished career of over 20 years of experience, both as a teacher and an administrator — and accolades that include being named the 2019 Piedmont-Triad Principal of the Year.
- Emma Hatfield-Sidden will be the inaugural principal of App State’s new Elkin Academy. Emma is a two-time graduate of App State — a former Teaching Fellow who focused her undergraduate studies on teaching exceptional children and removing obstacles to help students grow and succeed. The Elkin Academy will begin its first year this fall.
As announced earlier this month by General Counsel Paul Meggett, App State has moved our universitywide legal, risk management and compliance services under one unit — the Division of Institutional Integrity. The new division houses these offices:
- General Counsel;
- Enterprise Risk Management;
- Disability Resources;
- Title IX Compliance;
- Internal Audits;
- Clery Act Compliance;
- Worker’s Compensation Administration; and
- Compliance and Ethics.
These departments perform crucial functions for the university and combining them into a single division allows for greater efficiency and quicker, more effective responsiveness. I appreciate Paul’s efforts in leading this change.

Within this new division, Jennifer Myers was named the new Chief Audit Officer after a national search, and we welcome her to campus this week. Her vast experience will ensure our history of exemplary reporting and compliance performance continues.

Throughout the summer, App State’s Student Health Service remains open and is providing COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, free COVID testing for students and home testing kits for purchase. Please remember, if you feel unwell, stay home, monitor your symptoms and get tested. If you test positive for COVID, report it to the university, so we can provide resources and support. More information is available on our university’s COVID website.

The work taking place on our campus this summer is positioning us well for the future. I look forward to bringing you more good news and sharing in your accomplishments as summer progresses.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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May 2022

April 2022

March 2022

Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, March 25, 2022
It has been a week of celebrating successes and milestones at App State. Yesterday and today, the Board of Trustees met on campus for their quarterly meeting, approving actions supporting the development of the Middle Fork Greenway, a lease of space for the Elkin Elementary lab school and the transfer of property to facilitate a needed bridge improvement on Hunting Hills Lane. Students from App State’s Men’s Basketball Team, Wrestling Team and Solar Vehicle Team showcased their successes for the board, and I shared a progress update, which included an overview of the incredible work of our faculty, staff and students, strategic planning and campus construction updates, and a review of some key COVID metrics. You may read my remarks on my website.

This afternoon, we broke ground on the first academic building of our Innovation District — a long-held goal made possible with a state budget allocation of $54 million in the current fiscal year. Faculty, staff and students gathered to celebrate this momentous occasion, and we were joined by several members of the General Assembly who made it possible for us to break ground on the long-envisioned project, Governor Philip Byers, representing the UNC Board of Governors, our Board of Trustees, Mayor Tim Futrelle and Chair of the Watauga County Board of Commissioners John Welch, and members of the Boone Town Council and Watauga County Commissioners.

App State’s future Innovation District is an ambitious enterprise that will have a lasting and powerful impact on the region, broadening economic development opportunities for rural areas in Northwestern North Carolina. The Innovation District will bring together expertise across disciplines and facilitate collaborations on campus and with the communities across the region.

This exciting, long-term project has been included in the university’s master planning since 2016, a year after the Board of Governors designated this property with millennial campus status, providing greater flexibility for planning and utilization of the property. Numerous faculty and staff have worked to develop a vision for it, with input from students and alumni.

The first academic building will be the Conservatory for Biodiversity Education and Research. This facility will serve as a vital link between the campus and the regional community through education, research and outreach.

It is important to note, this is the first building — and the first academic building — of the District. You can see some of the development concepts on the university’s Innovation District webpage. The multi-phased development concepts we are reviewing are forward-thinking and comprehensive. Going beyond what is our standard — to build LEED-certified buildings — we are reviewing concepts for a Zero-Carbon District. This means the buildings in the Innovation District will be highly energy efficient, and powered by carbon-free, renewable energy sources. This will not only lower the environmental impact of the buildings, but also help make them more financially viable.

We also asked the design firms submitting proposals to include faculty and staff housing into the Innovation District Master Plan, as one way to help address housing shortages that affect our ability to recruit and retain talented faculty and staff.

Other academic facilities that are also in discussion include:
- Spaces for research, teaching and demonstration;
- Workspace for multidisciplinary projects;
- Renewable energy labs;
- Conference rooms; and
- Expanded exhibition and studio spaces.
App State is the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, founded to increase access to education for those in the “lost provinces” of North Carolina, and we remain true to our mission as a rural-serving institution.

We look forward to continuing the work we have begun with the support of the General Assembly, the Board of Governors, our Trustees and local government leaders, as well as with leaders from education, business and community development, to ensure this Innovation District extends the university’s mission of teaching, research and service to the region and the state.

App State has unprecedented support, and stellar students, faculty and staff, and our potential is limitless!

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, March 18, 2022

Students and faculty returned from Spring Break to an even more beautified campus, thanks to our Facilities Operations teams — in particular, Landscape Services. This team has helped our campus earn and maintain the "Tree Campus USA" and "Bee Campus USA" status, and we appreciate their work and their commitment to sustainable practices, including turf management, arboriculture and the use of native plants and pollinator gardens, which contribute to the beauty and resilience of our campus landscape.

On Thursday, students, faculty, staff, business leaders and community members came together for the Walker College of Business’ 63rd Boyles Distinguished Lecture. The featured keynote speaker was Pamela Mars Wright, who shared insights about successful business strategies and lessons she has learned from being in a multi-generational family business. Pam is former chair and director of the Mars Inc. board of directors, which governs the $40 billion business owned by the Mars family. She was also a director on the Board of Banfield, a network of veterinary hospitals that are part of Mars’ Petcare.

Pam spent yesterday morning with the Women of Walker, a group of female student leaders in the Walker College of Business, engaging in conversation and sharing her breadth of knowledge in navigating many aspects of the business world. During the day’s events, Woman of Walker and senior marketing major Isabella Riley also had the opportunity to address university and community leaders. Isabella described the many ways in which her Appalachian Experience has set her up for success, and — as we hear from so many of our students — how our dedicated faculty and staff have gone above and beyond to help her along the way.

As Pam became more engaged with App State through her husband, alumnus and Trustee Mark Ricks, she worked with the university to develop an innovative partnership between Banfield and App State. Last year, I announced a multimillion-dollar sponsored contract with Banfield to support the development of a four-year, App State Online degree program for licensed veterinary technicians, which will combine Bachelor of Science credentials with veterinary technician licensure. It is the first of its kind and will help meet shortages for skilled veterinary professionals in the rural areas of our region and beyond. We are thrilled to welcome the program’s first class this fall! App State has benefited greatly from the generosity of both Pam and Mark, and we are so fortunate to have had Pam on campus yesterday, sharing her time and expertise with our students.

Earlier this week, I shared a message with you about ways to participate in the UNC System’s ongoing strategic planning process. The System will host a virtual town hall on Tuesday at 11 a.m., to allow for public comment. Please join us to learn more and/or share your ideas and input.

The current UNC System Strategic Plan established the measurement of key success metrics, including faculty and staff engagement. As a part of this plan, each institution in the UNC System participates in a Systemwide Employee Engagement Survey three times over a five-year period. Surveys were implemented in 2018 and 2020, and faculty and staff will receive the third survey later this month, in order to gather input from faculty and staff about workplace engagement. The Office of Human Resources will share additional information soon.

Yesterday, each of you received an invitation to attend the groundbreaking for the first building of the Innovation District — the Conservatory for Biodiversity Education and Research — which will serve as a vital link between the campus and the regional community through education, research and outreach. This is a long-held goal made possible with a biennial budget allocation of $54 million in non-recurring funds in the current fiscal year to begin work on App State’s Innovation District project. I hope you will be able to join us at 1 p.m. next Friday, March 25, at the top of Bodenheimer Drive. You can learn more about the Innovation District on this dedicated webpage.

Yesterday’s COVID update from Governor Cooper and NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley shared the next phase of the state’s pandemic response, which focuses on moving from crisis response to disease management, utilizing important tools, including the widely available COVID vaccines, treatment options, testing and personal protective equipment. We remain attentive to our campus data, as well as state and national trends and public health guidance. Last week, as expected, the CDC downgraded Watauga County’s COVID-19 Community Level to “Medium.” Associated guidance from the federal, state and local levels is now fully aligned: People may choose to mask at any time, and those with symptoms, a positive test or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a face covering. Face coverings are still required on public transportation and in health care settings, so please remember to keep one with you to use as needed. Vaccines continue to be the most important and effective tool we have to mitigate serious risk, and we continue to offer vaccines, testing and face coverings free of charge to students, faculty and staff.

Congratulations are in order for App State musicology professor Dr. Reeves Shulstad, one of 17 outstanding University of North Carolina System faculty members to receive the 2022 Awards for Excellence in Teaching from the UNC System Board of Governors. Established by the board in 1993 to highlight the importance of teaching, the award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of faculty members Systemwide. Please look for media coverage of this award in the coming days.

The second half of the spring semester is underway, as the accomplishments of our students, faculty and staff continue to support our reputation as the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, March 4, 2022

On Wednesday, students enjoyed warmer weather, outdoor activities and s’mores around the campfire on Sanford Mall as they took a break from studying for midterms. We welcome these signs of early spring as students and faculty head into Spring Break.

After being snowed out in January, more than 50 App State faculty, staff and students completed 162 volunteer hours during App State’s 23rd annual MLK Day of Service on Saturday. We appreciate the collaboration with local nonprofits F.A.R.M Cafe, the Hunger and Health Coalition, the Volunteers-In-Parks program for Blue Ridge Parkway and Helping Hands Woodlot Ministry, who provided a wonderful service and learning experience for our students. You can read more about this year’s event and view a photo gallery in this news story. Thank you to the Office of Community-Engaged Leadership and Intercultural Student Affairs for ensuring App State was still able to hold this event, as well as ensuring we were able to hold our 37th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration, which featured keynote speaker Bakari Sellers.

I am so pleased to announce that we will break ground on Phase I of the Innovation District this month! Please mark your calendars for March 25. The Innovation District will be located at the site of the former Broyhill Inn and Conference Center on Bodenheimer Drive and the edge of the neighboring Nature Preserve. The first building in this long-envisioned project will be the Conservatory for Biodiversity Education and Research, which will serve as a vital link between the campus and the regional community through education, research and outreach. This exciting, long-term project has been included in the university’s master planning since 2016 — it will bring together expertise across disciplines and facilitate collaborations on campus and with the communities across the region. Numerous faculty and staff have worked to develop a vision for it, with input from students and alumni. We are currently reviewing multi-phased development concepts for a Zero-Carbon District, meaning the buildings in the Innovation District will be highly energy efficient and powered by carbon-free, renewable energy sources. This will not only lower the environmental impact of the buildings but also help make them more financially viable. We also asked the design firms submitting proposals to include faculty and staff housing into the Innovation District Master Plan, as one way to help address housing shortages that affect our ability to recruit and retain talented faculty and staff.

As UNC System leadership prepares to update and refresh the current System strategic plan, they are seeking input from each campus. You will soon receive a survey that provides an opportunity for you to review the current plan and provide feedback. Additionally, students, faculty and staff will be invited to participate in a virtual, campuswide Town Hall event on March 22. We will share additional details after Spring Break.

Powered by your contributions, App State’s strategic planning process also continues. As Provost Norris shared in her remarks to faculty and staff at the annual Spring Faculty and Staff Meeting and as Chief Sustainability Officer Lee Ball shared in his recent progress report to campus, the University Planning and Priorities Council, a group of nearly 60, representing faculty and staff from every college and division, and including the heads of Faculty Senate, Staff Senate and Student Government, have been developing the plan that will guide us through the next five years. Listening sessions open to the entire campus were held last November, followed by meetings with constituent groups that included Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, the Student Government Association and Alumni Council. Feedback from these listening sessions is being incorporated into the draft of the plan now. It will again be shared with campus for feedback and the final version will be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval in June. You can view the draft in development here. I’d like to thank Lee for his leadership as the chair of the committee, and I extend my appreciation to everyone who has been working on this plan. I encourage you to continue participating as the plan is finalized in the coming months.

If you haven’t yet seen it on the App State homepage, I hope you will read this story, which highlights seven alumni who are members of App State’s National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and sororities — historically Black Greek-letter organizations that are foundational to App State’s history. Many were notable student leaders, and as alumni they continue to open doors and create possibilities for the generations who follow them. We are proud to celebrate their contributions to App State, their communities and beyond.

When classes resume on March 14, Spring Commencement will be less than two months away. If you haven’t already, please mark your calendars for Spring Commencement on May 6-7. Graduates will receive specific information from the Commencement planning team after Spring Break.

Finally, a reminder that beginning Monday, March 7, face coverings and COVID testing will be optional for all App State students and employees. We are certainly encouraged by the decline in new cases and positive tests, as well as our strong vaccination rates. As we have since fall of 2020, we will continue to utilize wastewater surveillance testing to detect the presence and extent of COVID in residence halls, and implement testing and containment measures. We also continue to emphasize the importance of the vaccination for the health of our overall community. I thank each of you for your care for our campus community and continued respect for one another.

Whether you are taking a break from classes or remaining on campus next week, I hope everyone can find some time to recharge. The final weeks of the academic year hold much to come, and I look forward to celebrating our successes together.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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February 2022

January 2022

December 2021

Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, December 10, 2021
Today is our Fall 2021 Commencement! We are celebrating the successes of nearly 1,700 graduates at three ceremonies — 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. — as they mark a most defining moment in their academic careers. I have said this before, and it bears repeating: Presiding over commencement exercises is my favorite duty as Chancellor. That honor is all the more meaningful this year as we reflect on how important it is to gather in person for this most special occasion, and how fortunate we are to be able to do so.
- To our graduates: Thank you for being part of our great academic community. You will always be a part of App State — as you are our most enduring legacy. I congratulate each of you on your achievements and celebrate the hope and possibilities you take forward into our future world — a world that holds more promise because of the contributions you have made thus far, and one you will continue to make even brighter.
- To our faculty and staff: You have made a transformational difference in the lives of our outstanding graduates. On behalf of our entire university community, I thank you for your tireless commitment.
During our commencement ceremonies, we are pleased to present two members of the App State Community with honorary degrees. At the 1 p.m. ceremony, we will confer an honorary bachelor’s degree on Glenn W. Wilcox Sr. — a longtime advocate, donor and friend of App State who is a past chairman and former member of the university’s Board of Trustees. At the 5 p.m. ceremony, we will confer an honorary bachelor’s degree on Sarah Alice Evans Heustess, an influential App State staff member who retired in August 2020. She served the university for three decades, most recently as Director of Sales and Patron Relations for the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts and Valborg Theatre, and she also lent her expertise to the Hayes School of Music.

If you are unable to attend in person — or want to relive these pivotal moments — each livestreamed ceremony will be made available on our commencement website.

On Nov. 16 I shared with campus an update on the biennial budget bill, which Gov. Cooper signed into law on Nov. 18. The budget includes much welcome news for App State, including welcome compensation news for faculty and staff.

I am pleased to report that the one-time bonuses included in the approved budget will be paid to eligible employees in the Dec. 21, 2021 payroll. Most of App State’s permanent, full-time employees will receive a $1,000 bonus. Those who meet additional eligibility requirements will receive an additional $500.

Thank you to the staff in the Human Resources, Payroll and IT departments, as well as the many other staff in the Division of Business Affairs, for your work in ensuring our employees will have these bonuses before the end of the year.

The approved budget provides a 5% across-the-board salary increase to eligible employees, 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, and will be paid in the Jan. 31, 2022, payroll.

I am working with Provost Heather Norris, Vice Chancellors Hank Foreman, J.J. Brown and Jane Barghothi, and Interim Chief Financial Officer Sharon Bell to review our universitywide budget with the intention of providing the largest discretionary increases — as quickly as possible — that are allowable within the granted 5% authority and possible within our budget constraints. As I have stated before, I am committed to identifying these funds and allocating them to our employees to the greatest possible extent.

With the final days of the semester behind us and fewer people on campus, this week's COVID data represent fewer test results. We will update our dashboard again on Jan. 18, 2022, after the first week of classes for the Spring semester. Here are the latest campus COVID-19 data:
- Our current data show the campus rates of those who are fully vaccinated are 71% for students and 84% for employees. For local and statewide context, in Watauga County, the rate of those fully vaccinated is 55%, and for North Carolina, the rate is 58%.
- Preliminary results from the 545 COVID tests we have conducted on campus so far this week indicate a positivity rate of 1.3%. Watauga County’s latest reported positivity rate is 5.7% and North Carolina’s latest reported rate is 7.1%.
On Saturday, Dec. 18, App State's football team will face Western Kentucky in the Boca Raton Bowl at 11 a.m. With a 10-3 Sun Belt season, we are looking forward to bringing home another bowl trophy, and beating our FBS-best 6-0 bowl game record. We expect to see many App State fans in the FAU stadium, and know that Mountaineers across the nation will be watching on ESPN.

Our faculty, staff, students and alumni — especially today’s newly minted class of graduates — prove time and again that App State is, indeed, the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast. I hope our campus community enjoys a well-earned break, and I look forward to seeing everyone back on campus in the new year.

Happy holidays, Mountaineers!

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, December 3, 2021
With final exams underway and Fall 2021 Commencement on the horizon next Friday, I reported on App State’s major accomplishments, future plans, stellar employees and latest campus COVID-19 data to the university’s Board of Trustees earlier this morning. The committee meetings held yesterday and the full board meeting held this morning offered ample opportunities to share the important and exciting work happening at our university.

My remarks are posted to my website. Highlights are below:
- With 17 active cases in students and employees, we are seeing significantly lower rates of positive test results than at this time last year. The rate of students who are fully vaccinated is 70%, and for employees that rate is 83%.
- App State received the best state budget support in recent university history, which will provide bonuses and salary increases to our employees. It will also allow us to begin construction on the Innovation District, renovate classrooms and offices, and begin the daylighting of Boone Creek, among other exciting projects.
- Given the physical limitations in Boone, our future App State Hickory Campus will allow App State to continue the mission we have had since 1899 — to increase access to education for the citizens of North Carolina. In the coming weeks and months, we look forward to continuing conversations with the Hickory community and seeking additional input from App State’s academic leaders to determine the best options for program offerings and utilization of this much-needed space.
- The influence of App State’s stellar faculty and staff is making real and powerful differences across our state and nation. We have partnered with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools on a five-year, multimillion-dollar school principal pipeline initiative, faculty member Dr. Sarah Evans is leading undergraduate researchers in studying thawing permafrost in Alaska, three Mountaineers represented App State at the 26th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference last month, and our Student Support Services staff secured funding expected to reach $1.7 million to support App State’s first-generation and low-income students.
- Our capital projects are moving forward. Our newest residence hall, New River Hall, is on schedule to be completed in July 2022. Our Career Development Center’s new location in the Student Union is supporting enhanced programming, evening hours and expanded services. Our Child Development Center expansion — which will allow for the care of an additional 55 children once complete — is making headway, with sections of the pre-fabricated building expected to arrive within a few days.
- When New River Light and Power begins purchasing its electricity from Carolina Power Partners in January, we will increase our renewable energy purchase portfolio from just under 2% to 15%. Additionally, as I announced last month, we are working on an agreement that will convert the purchased electricity for Leon Levine Hall to 100% solar early next year.
- Work on the university’s next strategic plan continues, and the University Planning and Priorities Council has been holding listening sessions with campus and meeting with key constituency groups to inform the initial drafts of the plan next semester.
Our exams continue through next Wednesday and we know our Mountaineers are prepared for success — good luck! We have come through this semester with incredible accomplishments that speak directly to the hard work, dedication and resilience of the App State Community. We have had much to celebrate in 2021 — and we have much to anticipate in 2022 and beyond.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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November 2021

October 2021

September 2021

August 2021

July 2021

Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, July 30, 2021
Campus activity is ramping up as students will soon move into residence halls and classes will begin for the fall semester on Aug. 16. The latest operations update was sent to campus yesterday. If you haven’t yet read it, I encourage you to do so, as it includes details about COVID safety protocols for fall semester, including links for students, faculty and staff to upload their vaccine status. Having data about the vaccine status of our university community will be key to our ability to make informed safety policy and protocol decisions, and I greatly appreciate the nearly 30% of faculty and staff who have, since yesterday, attested their vaccine status.
As the fall semester approaches and gets underway, additional guidance and more frequent communications will be sent to campus.
Yesterday, Governor Cooper announced a new Executive Order, EO224, and updated the state’s Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) guidance.
- The EO224 requirements do not apply to UNC institutions or employees.
- The NCDHHS guidance, which isn’t mandated under the Executive Order, is in line with the latest guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and recommends various COVID-19 protocols for both unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals. We are reviewing these carefully.
- Gov. Cooper also confirmed that all face covering requirements under the previous Executive Order EO220 will expire today at 5 p.m. and will not be renewed.
The Vice Chancellors and I meet daily to review the latest guidance and discuss the university's COVID response and recovery efforts. The safety of the university community is our utmost priority and we continue to take the global pandemic very seriously.
- Since the start of the pandemic, we have relied on data and guidance from the UNC System as well as public health guidance from the CDC and state and local public health agencies to inform our decisions in regard to COVID-19 safety policies and protocols. The updated university guidance we shared yesterday is in line with the latest federal, state and local public guidance.
- After 18 months of actively responding to COVID-19, we are acutely aware that guidance necessarily must change as circumstances change and new information is available. We review all information, guidance and directives carefully to determine how they apply to App State. We will continue to make data-driven decisions based on the latest public health recommendations.
- A team led by Emergency Management Director Jason Marshburn and Dr. Alex Howard, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Director of Wellness and Prevention Services, meets regularly to review the latest data, guidance and university resources, and makes recommendations to the Vice Chancellors and me. The Vice Chancellors and I review these recommendations each week, in addition to our daily meetings to review and discuss the latest information available from the UNC System, as well as federal, state and local public health agencies.
In a few weeks we will begin a new academic year with the benefit of 18 months of data, guidance that has been developed by the best medical experts in the world and the most powerful tool available that has been proven to stop the severity and the spread of COVID-19 and its variants — a plentiful supply of vaccine.
- The COVID vaccine is key to a successful fall semester. If you haven’t yet had the vaccine, please do so now. On campus, faculty, staff and students can make an appointment at Student Health Service by calling 828-262-3100.
- The CDC is recommending vaccinated individuals wear face coverings in areas with “substantial” or “high” rates of transmission. Watauga County is currently an area of “moderate” transmission. We are closely monitoring our county transmission rates, and will post the county’s transmission status on the university’s homepage, as well as the university’s coronavirus website. Face coverings will be available for classrooms, and in academic departments and public areas throughout campus.
- The enhanced sanitation procedures and rigorous cleaning schedules put in place last year will continue. Please use the hand sanitizer stations across campus and the sanitizing wipes provided in each classroom.
The last few weeks have also brought important discussions and momentous occasions.
- Today, we will cut the ribbon on Laurel Creek Residence Hall — the third new hall to open on our campus in the last year! I am proud of the team that completed these buildings on time and under budget despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, and am pleased that our perseverance also helped contribute to the local economy during especially challenging economic times. These buildings, and the many other projects in progress on our campus, represent the future of App State. At a time when the focus is very much on the day to day, we also have our sights on the horizon — anticipating the needs of the Appalachian Community and planning for generations of Mountaineers to come.
- Team Sunergy, App State’s solar vehicle team, is in Topeka, KS, representing App State in an international competition in which they will race the App State solar car on the Heartland Motorsports Park track in the Formula Sun Grand Prix, a three-day track race that begins today. Next week, they will join the American Solar Challenge, a five-day, cross-country road race that spans nearly 1,000 miles from Missouri to New Mexico. We are so proud of our team, which has persevered through the pandemic to represent App State at these competitions for the fourth time, inspiring others and testing the limits of what can be accomplished with the power of the sun.
- Last week, at the meetings of the UNC System Board of Governors, I represented App State as a member of the Committee on Budget and Finance. During the full board meeting, President Hans reinforced the value of System institutions’ collaboration with community colleges, and also recognized App State as a Literacy Innovation Leader. The rich heritage of our institution has always been focused on student learning, and we are proud to be part of these important UNC System initiatives, which will create profound and lasting positive effects for the future of North Carolina.
Although the last year and a half has taken a toll on all of us, we have demonstrated our ability to persevere and come together as a community to problem-solve under the most difficult of circumstances. I sincerely thank every faculty and staff member for their hard work to ensure our university is ready to provide a meaningful experience for all Mountaineers this fall. We all look forward to welcoming our students back to campus soon!

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, July 16, 2021
Exactly one month from today classes will begin for the fall, and face-to-face interactions will once again be the norm.

As we prepare for the coming semester, faculty and staff across campus are continuing ongoing efforts and initiating new programs to create an exceptional experience for our students.
- Provost Heather Norris and I are hosting a new, three-week comprehensive leadership workshop for chairs of academic departments, presented by the Division of Academic Affairs. This workshop ensures these campus leaders have access to important resources and information needed to foster the success of their students and faculty. The first week has been full of engaging conversations, and I have greatly appreciated spending time with these key campus leaders.
- Our newly digitized textbook rental program is already providing tremendous value to students. This digital addition to the program — only the second of its kind in the country — offers equitable access to most course materials for all students, and provides our students with convenient access (online or offline) to their materials before their classes begin.
- Later today, I will greet donors and student scholarship recipients at the Appalachian Scholarship Celebration. This annual event offers the chance for our donors to meet and hear stories from students whose lives they have forever changed through their generosity and leadership. Scholarships are vital to our efforts to promote access and inclusion on our campus. These donors are helping open doors and lessening the burden of debt for students, making it feasible for them to earn a degree from the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast.
We continue to urge all Mountaineers to get vaccinated to help protect our community, especially children under 12 and immunocompromised individuals who are unable to take the vaccine. This week, ECU Chancellor Rogers accepted my challenge to see which university can vaccinate the most students before the highly anticipated football game between our two schools on Sept. 2. Let’s show them how to do it, Mountaineers!

This summer, our university and faculty have received prestigious recognitions from the UNC System that reflect App State’s far-reaching influence.
- An App State research team was one of three from the UNC System to be awarded a grant through the University of North Carolina’s Research Opportunities Initiative (ROI), marking the first time our university has been selected as a lead principal investigator on an ROI grant. Led by Dr. Rahman Tashakkori, chair of the Department of Computer Science, the project aims to answer key questions on bee hive health, development and genomic diversity. App State will partner with a faculty member from UNC Charlotte for this project.
- App State was selected by the UNC System as one of six institutions to receive recurring grants from the North Carolina Principal Fellows Program. As part of the program, the Reich College of Education will partner with 12 school districts and the Northwest Regional Educational Service Alliance to train and support future principals through the university’s school administration program.
At our Staff Connect networking event earlier this week, it was clear our campus is starting to bustle with renewed energy and in-person experiences. With safety directing our decisions, we are getting back to the people, places and activities we love.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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June 2021

Update from Appalachian State University
Friday, June 18, 2021

With each passing day, App State’s campus is looking and feeling more like pre-pandemic operations. Today we hosted a meeting of our Board of Trustees and we welcomed the opportunity to see our Trustees in person. These meetings are always a welcome opportunity to highlight the important work taking place at App State and to share our appreciation for the many ways our Trustees advocate for and champion our university.

In my remarks, I shared insights into our plans for a full return to pre-pandemic operations in the fall semester, updates about our campus construction projects and fundraising efforts, and spotlights of our extraordinary faculty, staff and students. You may read my remarks in full here.

With regret I also announced an important staffing update. Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Paul Forte has announced his decision to leave our university, effective July 31. Since joining App State in 2016, Paul has provided expert administrative oversight of finance and administration, facilities operations and the areas that manage university safety and security. At each turn, Paul found fiscally sound methods to carry out my direction: from ensuring our P3 projects were financially viable, to allocating resources for faculty and staff salary increases, to re-assigning staff who would otherwise have been furloughed. In the process, he has helped our institution become financially stronger, has earned university-wide respect and admiration, and has become not only an esteemed colleague but also a dear friend.

Sharon Bell has assumed the position of Interim Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately, and I know you join me in thanking Sharon for taking on this role. A national search for a Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs will be announced soon.

Tomorrow is Juneteenth, and as Interim Chief Diversity Officer Jamie Parson shared in her message to campus, President Joe Biden signed a bill yesterday designating Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Jamie will represent App State at the unveiling of the new historical marker for the Junaluska community — Boone’s historic African American community — during a ceremony in downtown Boone tomorrow evening. Many thanks to Jamie for her leadership as she continues to move forward our diversity and inclusion initiatives and find new ways to celebrate and recognize underrepresented populations.

This summer stands in stark contrast to the summer of 2020, when we were at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our plans now focus on returning to normalcy and encouraging the Appalachian Community and beyond to get vaccinated. We are less than two months from the first day of classes for fall 2021 and it cannot get here soon enough!

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

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May 2021

April 2021

March 2021

February 2021

January 2021

December 2020

Update from Appalachian State University — Dec. 21, 2020
Monday, December 21, 2020
In higher education, our focus on continual improvement means we sometimes neglect to celebrate our successes. This year in particular we have had many significant achievements worth honoring — specifically our ongoing response to the global pandemic. In preparing this message — my final update in 2020 — I find myself reflecting on all we have accomplished this year in light of the remarkable circumstances presented by COVID-19.

This year, we have:
- Administered nearly 31,300 COVID-19 tests at no cost to our faculty, staff and students.
- Maintained isolation/quarantine inventory at optimal levels. Even at the height of our use, capacity never dropped below 62% and stayed well above 70% for the majority of the semester.
- Provided more than 15,000 meals for campus and community members — for those in isolation and quarantine and through the Meals for Mountaineers program.
- Distributed more than 97,700 washable, cloth face coverings to our faculty, staff and students. Our new face coverings have arrived and we are beginning the process of distributing five new face coverings so each student, faculty and staff member will have them in time for the start of the spring semester.
- Awarded nearly $7 million to students in need through CARES Act emergency grants and the Mountaineer Emergency Fund.
- Made more than 15,800 calls to check on new and continuing students.
- Had no documented cases of classroom transmission of COVID-19.
- Graduated more than 5,300 students through two virtual commencement ceremonies.
These milestones — and so many others — speak to your compassion and pragmatism as we collectively responded to the many impacts COVID-19 has had on our campus community. Above all, we prioritized safety and sought to assist one another, innovating new ways to help members of the App State and broader community. In times of crisis, we reveal our true character, and I am proud of how we have come together as Mountaineers — working together to rebuild our university infrastructure, even as we are using it, while taking care of one another. This is what we do at App State.

Last week, we conducted our final COVID exit testing events of the year.
- Our fall semester COVID-19 exit testing numbers remain strong. Last week, we conducted 617 tests with 9 positive results, or 1.46%.
- All university-related clusters have moved into inactive status. This means the NCDHHS-established 28-day period for no new active cases in active clusters has passed for all clusters identified as associated with the university.
- We are not using any of our isolation/quarantine inventory at the present time, but we will provide isolation/quarantine support to students who need it throughout the winter break.
We will pause updates to our COVID-19 Dashboard from Dec. 24–Jan. 1, and will add daily data for that time period on Jan. 2.

Our entry testing plans for the spring semester are well underway. This week, students who will be living in residence halls received information about required entry testing, and updates will continue as we approach the beginning of the spring semester. Campus surveillance and entry testing events will resume in early January 2021.

As I shared in my Dec. 4 remarks to the university’s Board of Trustees, App State has been engaged in conversations with state and local public health officials for several weeks about our role in administering COVID-19 vaccines. With support from the UNC System, we will be well positioned to assist state and local public health officials with storage of the vaccine as part of the state’s implementation of the NCDHHS vaccine distribution plan. App State will be among 15 institutions in the UNC System to receive cold storage units that can collectively store 1.86 million vaccine doses. The units, which will be provided by the UNC System, were purchased by the UNC Policy Collaboratory with funds appropriated by the North Carolina General Assembly to support COVID-19 recovery and response efforts across the state. We will repurpose our four cold storage units at a later time for academic research. We appreciate the state legislature’s forward thinking that will enable us to be a part of the local and state response to serve rural areas in our state.
- Vaccine distribution will be via state channels in line with the NCDHHS vaccine distribution plan. App State will not independently procure, store or distribute COVID-19 vaccines.
- The UNC System Office will continue to coordinate with NCDHHS about distribution of a vaccine to university students and employees.
- We have an agreement in place with AppHealthCare, the local public health department, to serve as a distribution site for vaccines for students, faculty and staff.
As the university moves into our holiday break, our operations will slow down for a few days. Our campus COVID-19 response team remains hard at work implementing campus safety measures and preparing for spring semester and beyond, and my weekly updates, as well as weekly campus operations updates, will resume the week of Jan. 11.

This year, more than any before, has illuminated the resilience, perseverance and kindness of the Appalachian Community — and that is something of which we should all be extremely proud. I wish each of you a safe and restful break.

Happy holidays, Mountaineers!

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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Update from App State — Congratulations, #AppStateClassof2020!
Friday, December 11, 2020

Today as we celebrate our second virtual 2020 Commencement, we can be proud of our perserverance and steadfastness during these past months. Even as we complete the final days of the fall 2020 semester, we continue with our COVID-19 response operations.

So far this week, we have administered 949 COVID-19 tests with 25 positive results, or 2.6%. We can attribute many of these cases to travel over the Thanksgiving break. Because the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services considers clusters to be active until there have been no cases in isolation for a 28-day period, we still have four clusters associated with residence halls that are considered active, but there are no active cases in any active clusters. We are not using any of our quarantine/isolation space inventory at this time. We continue daily updates to our COVID-19 dashboard, and will update it on Monday with this week’s final testing results.

We will continue offering free COVID-19 testing events through next week, and will begin next semester’s testing schedule on Jan. 4. I am pleased to see that in addition to faculty and staff, students who remain in Boone continue to take advantage of opportunities to be tested for COVID-19. Throughout the incredible challenges COVID-19 has presented this year, our students remain dedicated to protecting the health and well-being of our community. They exhibit this through their proactive behavior — participating in COVID-19 testing and wearing face coverings — and throughout the semester they have been actively engaged in several peer-to-peer efforts to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Today, we are hosting our second virtual commencement ceremony — which you can view here — to honor more than 1,700 App State graduates. We celebrate the Class of 2020, and applaud their grace, perseverance and unwavering resilience. They have earned one of the most significant achievements of their lifetimes while overcoming the tremendous challenges of a global pandemic unlike anything the world has seen in more than a century.

This year — perhaps more than any other in our institution’s history — our faculty and staff have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to helping our students achieve their dream of graduating from App State. You have earned this day as well and we honor your contributions.

Faculty — through your teaching, research and service you have made a transformational difference in the lives of these outstanding graduates. Your mentorship of our graduates throughout their academic careers will have a lifelong impact.

Staff — you have supported and worked alongside our graduates as they faced each obstacle placed before them. You have helped them establish lasting connections that will endure time and distance.

During this occasion, we also extend our deepest gratitude to our App State families and friends, who have served as role models, supporters and cheerleaders for our graduates. This is your celebration as well. We are grateful for your investment in our amazing students.

I am moved by the thoughtful messages and good wishes that have been flooding social media even before our ceremony. I’ve shared a few below. We are collecting more on our commencement website:

“I go from a ‘student of teaching’ into a ‘teacher of students’ in less than a week! 💛🖤🍎”

“... A virtual graduation is definitely not what I was expecting, but then again this whole year was very unexpected. I’m so thankful to be able to graduate from such an amazing school and I definitely wouldn’t take back any moment from my four years here. ... As a first-generation college graduate, I am proud of this accomplishment and can’t wait for what’s next! ❤️ 📷”

“Join us in raising a glass (or a coffee cup) to the 1,700 graduates of the #AppStateClassof2020. Excited to watch featured commencement speaker and @Appstatecomdept alum @JohnCarterWBTV.”

This year, we have adjusted to new ways of celebrating the important moments in our lives and, moreover, we clearly recognize the importance of doing so. I am profoundly thankful we are able to honor our graduates today, and regardless of our mode of celebration, the value and significance of this occasion cannot be overstated.

Congratulations, Class of 2020!

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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Update from Appalachian State University — week of Nov. 30–Dec. 4
Friday, December 4, 2020
The first week of primarily virtual exams also brought the first accumulation of snow to campus. View a photo gallery of snowy campus scenes here.

On Wednesdays through Dec. 16, we are offering free COVID-19 testing to faculty, staff and students. View the testing schedule here.
- Since the start of the semester, we have conducted the majority of the tests in Watauga County, administering more than 29,000 COVID-19 tests to students, faculty and staff, with an overall positivity rate of 3%.
- Over the last two weeks, we administered more than 5,200 COVID-19 exit tests, with a positivity rate of just under 1%.
- As of today, we are not using any of our quarantine/isolation space inventory.
- Currently, we have zero active cases within the active App State COVID-19 clusters, and we expect to see the number of active clusters to continue on a downward trend.
- So far this week, we have conducted 966 COVID-19 tests with 19 positive results — a positivity rate of approximately 2%. More than 500 people — mostly students — participated in Wednesday’s testing event. We will update our COVID-19 dashboard with weekly test data on Monday.
Next week we will conclude exams and celebrate the Fall 2020 Commencement of more than 1,700 students — an impressive class of graduates who will forever recall the culmination of their days at App State taking place during a historic pandemic. We are pleased to have alumnus John Carter as our keynote speaker. John is a celebrated WBTV News anchor who earned a Bachelor of Science in communication arts with a concentration in broadcasting from App State in 1979. The ceremony will also feature two stellar student speakers: Walker College of Business undergraduate Wendell Addy and graduate student Jennifer McCracken, who has served as Catawba County’s public health director while pursuing her master's degree in public administration. Vocalist and Hayes School of Music senior Samantha Latino will also perform, with piano accompaniment by Hayes School of Music Dean James Douthit. You can read more about the ceremony and learn how to participate here.

Logistical planning for the spring semester has been underway for many weeks. The safety of our community and our academic mission remain our guiding principles, and we will continue to rely on data to inform our decision-making. In many ways, the spring semester will look and feel similar to this fall.
- Next semester, every student, staff and faculty member will receive five washable, reusable face coverings. New designs, along with three-ply material and an adjustable ear loop feature, should make them even more popular than the ones we distributed this fall.
- We will continue with a robust COVID-19 surveillance testing schedule, including required entry testing for all students living in residence halls, and we are engaging in residence halls wastewater testing research, which will help us further refine our targeted testing strategy.
- Daily health self-assessments will continue to be required for all faculty, staff and students prior to leaving their residence halls or coming to campus. All cleaning and sanitizing procedures and distancing requirements will remain in place.
- Course delivery methods will be similar, although there will be more synchronous courses for those taking remote classes. We do expect to have fewer class cancellations for weather, since many classes can now pivot to remote learning.
We continue working on ways to minimize feelings of isolation and facilitate the community connections our students need while also following safety guidelines. Upon their return to campus, students will find outdoor campfire locations. These will allow them to gather, roast hot dogs and marshmallows, listen to music and enjoy the outdoors, while staying physically distanced, but socially connected.

Today I had the opportunity to recap the year’s challenges and accomplishments with our university’s Board of Trustees. I shared the efforts of our faculty, staff and students that mitigated the risk of contracting COVID-19, allowed us to further our academic mission in the face of historic adversity, and provided classroom and residential experiences for students who needed them — as well as flexibility for students and faculty who needed remote learning and teaching options. I also shared research highlights and student successes, a construction update — including the status of our Child Development Center expansion and that of Sanford Hall — and highlighted some of our institutional advancements with our diversity and inclusion initiatives.

My complete remarks to the Board of Trustees may be read here. They recount a year of extreme challenge and laudable resilience, and speak to the incredible strength and character of our university community.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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November 2020

October 2020

September 2020

August 2020

July 2020

June 2020

May 2020

April 2020

March 2020

February 2020

Leadership at Appalachian
Friday, February 14, 2020
Leadership on our campus and in the community is what drives our success.
- We hosted the Community Leaders breakfast at Appalachian House where we discussed projects the university, Town of Boone and Watauga County have underway and our vision for the future.
- Several vice chancellors and I shared our leadership challenges and triumphs with emerging leaders from the Boone Chamber of Commerce’s Watauga Leadership Challenge class.
- A group of about 50 female faculty and staff, many from the Appalachian Women in Leadership Council, gathered for a panel discussion on effective communication.
We also welcomed Interim Vice Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Heather Hulbert Norris and Walker College of Business Acting Dean Sandy Vannoy to their new roles.

Today, on her fifth day as interim provost, Heather met with members of the Chancellor’s Academic Leadership Development Program and addressed more than 300 faculty and staff at the 2020 spring Faculty/Staff meeting. She has hit the ground running and is well-poised to lead as we navigate budgets and priorities for our colleges, enrollment and diversity challenges, and faculty and staff compensation.

In her remarks, Heather acknowledged the value of the help and support of all the people — faculty, staff, vice provosts, deans, chairs and all of the Appalachian Community — who have and will help her succeed. I echo that sentiment. We are all called to lead, to collaborate and to challenge one another in order to continue to provide the premier Appalachian Experience for our students.

Our students’ future is our most precious charge, and a solid infrastructure is also essential to our academic mission. We are moving along briskly with bricks and mortar improvements on campus. Work already has moved inside on Sanford Hall, and we are on budget and on schedule to welcome students into a better equipped and restored building in 2021.

It is my privilege to lead this university and to recognize and applaud the leaders who walk with me.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

January in review
- Advocating for university funding
  Posted January 18, 2020
- Upholding the Appalachian Experience
  Posted January 25, 2020
- Mountaineer passion, creativity and expertise at work
  Posted January 31, 2020
- Navigating the best path forward for salary increases
  Posted February 7, 2020
Social media highlights
- 02.02 – Appalachian senior Gabrielle Knight uses the university’s arts venues as living laboratories to gain rich insights into her future career field.
- 02.04 – Reich College of Education Dean Melba Spooner represented the university well when she presented before the state’s Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee.
- 02.05 – Our student-athletes earned their 15th consecutive semester with a collective GPA of 3.0 or above. This achievement underscores the dedication of our students, faculty and staff.
- 02.06 – Appalachian works diligently to strengthen partnerships with our local communities, and we were thrilled to see Forbes highlight Boone as a “Blue Ridge Carolina Vacation Treasure.”
- 02.11 – Regular Community Leaders Breakfasts offers a great opportunity to connect with esteemed colleagues in the High Country.
- 02.11 – Cultivating leaders in our region is critically important, and I was honored to participate with the Chancellor’s Council in a session of the Boone Chamber of Commerce’s Watauga Leadership Challenge.
- 02.12 – Triangle-area media Appalachian’s Academy at Middle Fork on its Read 2 Succeed segment.
- 02.14 – Spring Faculty and Staff Meeting was very well attended and the crowd was engaged and appreciative of the information shared.
- 02.14 – My Valentine's Day was made complete by a serenade from several of our students.
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Navigating the best path forward for salary increases
Friday, February 7, 2020
Since my arrival on Appalachian’s campus in 2014, I have remained steadfast in my commitment to improve working conditions for all Appalachian employees. This includes investing in our physical infrastructure to support our faculty, staff and students. It also includes improving the compensation structure for our most valuable resource: our people.

As I advocate for Appalachian at the state level, I consistently emphasize these two key areas.

Authorization, compliance and reporting measures for different sources of funds add additional layers of complexity to an already complex system.

Remaining competitive in the current higher education market is critical to Appalachian’s success, and competitive compensation is one key to recruiting and retaining the talented faculty and staff who create the premier undergraduate experience for which Appalachian is often lauded.

The ideal scenario for salary increases is legislative funding and authority to provide a merit-based annual raise process this year. It remains my priority to continue advocating for this option using every available avenue.

However, in the event that we ultimately do not get an approved budget and authority to conduct an annual raise process, we will explore options within our existing campus authority. For example, at my direction, Vice Chancellor Paul Forte and Human Resources Director Mark Bachmeier have been working with Academic Affairs to identify how resources can best be applied toward labor market adjustments for faculty and staff.

At this point, we feel the best path forward is to wait for the legislature to reconvene, and make a decision that will have the broadest possible impact for the most employees, but we are prepared to act within our existing authority.

It is important we control what we can as we continue advocating for a sustainable source of funds and the authority to move forward, unified in our shared goal to achieve a compensation structure that matches the talent of our employees.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

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January 2020

Mountaineer passion, creativity and expertise at work
Friday, January 31, 2020
With the spring semester well underway, much important work is taking place on our campus. This week saw many members of the Appalachian Community lending their passion, expertise and creativity to the university's climate action plan, which will be completed by Earth Day, April 22. If you were not able to attend the public forum, you can still contribute your ideas via an electronic submission form, or in person by visiting or calling the Office of Sustainability, whose staff, along with several climate action working groups, are working diligently to develop a community-informed and developed plan for achieving climate neutrality. Thanks to everyone who continues to be a part of this significant milestone in Appalachian's history.

This is the time of semester when many students are beginning to feel the full force of their academic and personal responsibilities. Appalachian’s many support services for students are designed and provided by dedicated staff and faculty to help our students balance academic and personal demands and to empower them to take charge of their future. Some key resources include:
- The Office of Student Success and the Disco Student Learning Center lead our efforts to help students who need intermittent or regular assistance in meeting their rigorous academic goals.
- Appalachian Cares. This dedicated web portal aggregates essential resources related to wellness and prevention, emergency preparedness and student health.
- Appalachian’s Student Health Service and Counseling and Psychological Services offer an array of resources to help students get well, stay well and
  achieve their goals.
It is also important to ensure our faculty and staff have access to support and resources, and are engaged with the university.

Next week, all employees will receive a message from UNC System Interim President Bill Roper regarding the upcoming employee engagement survey, which identifies essential employment trends and issues across the UNC System. A link to the survey will be sent next week, as well. Your input is important! Our goal is for more than 50% participation in the survey, and I encourage each of you to take this opportunity to share your feedback.

Thanks to everyone who contributes to Mountaineer wellness and success.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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Upholding the Appalachian Experience
Saturday, January 25, 2020
On Tuesday morning, Appalachian’s Trustees met and unanimously passed a resolution calling on “all elected leaders who support and value the world class higher educational systems in North Carolina to move swiftly to enact a robust state budget that includes significant and meaningful support to the constituent institutions of the UNC System and compensation measures commensurable to the excellence of its faculty and staff.”

Even as we navigate unprecedented challenges, our faculty, staff and students continue to bring their best every day - that's what we do at Appalachian.

As I advocate for our university, your strengths and accomplishments continue to inspire me:
- Academics. Because of our stellar faculty, Appalachian is routinely lauded by national publications for the high quality and value of our academic programs. Most recently, the Reich College of Education was recognized for the fourth consecutive year as the national leader for the number of alumni who are National Board Certified Teachers, with 2,057 alumni having earned the national credential to date.
- Engagement. Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT) hosted the 21st MLK Challenge earlier this week and the annual Dance Marathon is scheduled for February, both of which provide dedicated time for reflection and service to the local community. These are just two examples of the hundreds of service opportunities from which our students, supported and championed by our dedicated staff, extend their classroom learning throughout the academic year.
On Friday, Jan. 31, our Office of Sustainability will hold an important next step in the development of the university’s new Climate Action Plan — slated to be completed by Earth Day, April 22. Please make plans to attend this listening session. Members of the campus community are invited to bring their knowledge and suggestions as we work to address our collective responsibility to mitigate — and work toward eliminating entirely — our carbon footprint. This is one of many opportunities for our faculty, staff and students to come together in structuring a pragmatic and progressive plan toward achieving climate neutrality.

Along with institutions of higher education everywhere, we seek collaborative solutions. Mountaineer resilience and determination sustain us as we prepare our students to live purposeful lives.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
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Advocating for university funding
Saturday, January 18, 2020
As we enter the third quarter of our fiscal year without a state budget, I traveled to this week’s Board of Governors meeting concerned about critical budget issues for Appalachian.

Representative of my greatest concerns are two key points I shared with President Roper, which are by no means an exhaustive list:
- Funding for salary increases: Without a budget in place, we have neither the funds nor authority to address urgent salary needs, which has negative impacts on employee recruitment and retention. Appalachian’s value proposition lies in the talent of its employees, and it is critical that we remain competitive in the current higher education market.
- Repair and Renovation funding and targeted renovation: Funding for major infrastructure work and repairs, in particular for our academic spaces and campus-wide security features, including electronic door access on all facilities, is key to supporting and empowering the vast human potential on our campus.
Faculty may recall that at the beginning of this fiscal year, I tasked Provost Kruger and Vice Chancellors Forte and Brown to identify and re-allocate state funds from Student Affairs to Academic Affairs to develop a pool for faculty merit increases. I remain steadfast in my commitment to a merit-based increase for faculty as permitted.

I will continue advocating for salary increases for all of our employees, for critical infrastructure and for every avenue we can use to not just maintain - but improve upon - our already enviable enrollment, retention and graduation rates.

Advocacy for a budget is taking place at the topmost levels of the UNC System. Yesterday, our Board of Governors passed a resolution strongly encouraging our elected leaders to pass a budget and calling on all boards of trustees to create and approve a concurring resolution. Our Board of Trustees has called a meeting to address this matter early next week.

These are unprecedented times. It is important you know that Appalachian’s leadership team remains dedicated to finding every available solution to meet the needs of our campus. We take daily inspiration from our university founders, and when times are tough, we roll up our sleeves and keep working- always for the betterment of our great institution.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

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December 2019

Celebrating accomplishments and new beginnings
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Yesterday, Appalachian hosted our Fall Commencement ceremonies, and I was honored to celebrate the accomplishments of the more than 1,300 students who crossed the stage. If you were unable to join us in person, you can relive the events through these archived videos.

The student speakers — ranging from a Colombian immigrant earning his doctorate in Educational Leadership, to a music therapist focusing her skills on infants addicted to drugs at birth, to the father and husband of a family with four Mountaineers, three of whom are still currently enrolled — are sterling examples of the breadth and rigor of an Appalachian education and the opportunities it unfolds. A quick perusal of Appalachian Today, our news and events website, showcases countless examples of academic excellence, world-changing research and post-graduation achievement.

The closing weeks of the semester are always full of activity and excitement and, this year, notably so for Appalachian football. The Mountaineers secured their fourth Sun Belt Championship, making history with the best FBS season in North Carolina. The team is gearing up now for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 21, and I am thrilled to officially welcome Appalachian alumnus Shawn Clark ’98 as our new head football coach. I know we all look forward to his continued success with this record-setting team.

All of our graduates, including our student-athletes, can be proud of their achievements. I am certain they will go on to make real and powerful differences in our state and in communities throughout the world. We look forward to hearing their stories as they go forward — forever Mountaineers and our most enduring legacy.

I am honored to be part of the Appalachian Community. Happy holidays and best wishes for a restful and restorative break!

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

Social media highlights
- 12.03 – The Appalachian Community gathered to thank Dean of University Libraries Dane Ward for his invaluable contributions to our university.
- 12.03 – The Holmes Center was filled with energy as the men’s basketball team won its final nonconference home game.
- 12.04 – This month included many productive meetings, notably with the Chancellor’s Faculty Advisory Committee and the Council of Chairs. Thank you to all of Appalachian’s leaders, who continually address short-term and long-term goals!
- 12.04 – Reading Day offers opportunities for students to prepare for final exams by studying and practicing self-care. Faculty and staff also take this time to offer further support to students who may be in need of additional end-of-year support or resources.
- 12.05 – Community Leaders Breakfasts offer dedicated time to strengthen Appalachian's relationships throughout the High Country.
- 12.07 – After winning a fourth Sun Belt Championship, the Mountaineer football team earned the No. 20 spot in the AP Poll, College Football Playoff Ranking and Coaches Poll!
- 12.11 – I love stories about Appalachian’s talented alumni — like Winston-Salem chief of police Catrina Thompson ’09 — who are making positive differences in communities across the state.
- 12.11 – The annual Faculty and Staff Holiday Reception always fosters delightful conversation and offers a much-needed chance for respite after final exams.
- 12.12 – Appalachian extended our agreement first established in 2015 with the American University of Ras Al Khaimah to create a transfer program in hospitality management.
- 12.13 – It is always a powerful experience to be part of Commencement. Congratulations to the graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, Hayes School of Music and Walker College of Business!
- 12.13 – I love the pomp and circumstance of Commencement, and the pride of our graduates and their families. Congratulations to the graduates of the Beaver College of Health Sciences, College of Fine and Applied Arts and Reich College of Education!
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November 2019

In appreciation of the Appalachian Community
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Our university has much for which to be thankful throughout the year. Above all else, I appreciate the limitless human potential on our campus that elevates the Appalachian Experience, and would like to share with you a few examples of the many ways our exceptional students, faculty and staff enrich the Appalachian Community:
- Our students take advantage of countless opportunities to gain real-world experience before graduation. Interior design students Jake Still and Grace McCormick won the 2019 Planning and Visual Education (PAVE) GlobalShop Design Challenge with their prototype of a pop-up shop that packages key essentials for college students to organize their living spaces. These students saw their winning design professionally fabricated and installed at the Dallas flagship location of The Container Store, a leading national retailer of storage and organizational products.
- Our university’s record seven Fulbright award winners in 2019–20 and professors like Dr. Beverly Moser showcase our faculty’s virtuosity. Dr. Moser, professor of German and TESL/applied linguistics, received the 2019 Foreign Language Association of North Carolina (FLANC) Honorary Life Member Award in recognition of her years of service to foreign language education in North Carolina and the Appalachian region. On our campus and far beyond, Appalachian’s nearly 1,500 faculty members are recognized and honored for their professional expertise and excellence in teaching.
- Our exemplary staff members are dedicated to the success of our students and to the university. Last week, I had the pleasure of inaugurating a new tradition: the Chancellor’s Service Awards Luncheon. The event honored the service of more than 120 staff members who have served our university for 20 years or more, and I was honored to share my heartfelt thanks with this esteemed group. The influence of our nearly 1,900 staff members is felt across the university.
Year-round, Appalachian Today highlights the many honors, awards and grants earned by our staff, faculty and students. The talents and accomplishments of the Appalachian Community greatly enhance the rich learning environment at our university.

Best wishes and my sincere appreciation to Mountaineers near and far.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

Social media highlights
- 11.22 – It was great to see Appalachian’s women’s basketball team back at the Holmes Center for the home opener!
- 11.23 – Appalachian’s ROTC program is celebrating its 50th anniversary. We are proud of this program, which has commissioned 950 officers to date.
- 11.23 – Appalachian alumnus Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley performed the pregame coin toss during Saturday’s football game. It was an honor to welcome him home to Appalachian.
- 11.24 – Senior Night and Heroes Day at the last regular season home football game ended with a Mountaineers victory. The next day, the AP Poll and Coaches Poll both ranked Appalachian’s football team No. 22, marking three straight weeks in the top 25. Congratulations to the team and coaching staff!
- 11.25 – We were touched to honor two sets of siblings at The Chancellor's Service Awards Luncheon. Congratulations to all of our staff members, especially brothers Randy and Terry Edwards, and sisters Kathy Deas and Sheila Perry.
- 11.26 – Appalachian helps students discover their passions and then refine the skills needed to succeed in their chosen field. We are thankful for the many staff members across the university — especially in the Career Development Center — who contribute to our students’ success.
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Enrollment, Faculty Salaries and Infrastructure
Trustees meet for November board meeting
Saturday, November 23, 2019
On Friday, Appalachian’s Board of Trustees held their November meeting. Our sincere thanks to Appalachian’s trustees — as well as our Board of Visitors members who joined the meeting on campus this week — for your continued advocacy and leadership of our university.

Throughout today’s committee sessions and full board meeting, it was clear Appalachian is abuzz with progress and good news. Here are a few notable takeaways:
- Appalachian is on track to achieve a record enrollment of 20,000 students by 2020, a reflection of our university’s “slow and steady growth” philosophy. Nearly 60% of our projected growth will be online or at satellite locations, and, looking into the future, these areas are where there are the most potential for any further increased enrollment. Appalachian’s goal supports Gov. Roy Cooper’s legislative target of equipping 2 million additional North Carolinian adults, ages 25-44, with a high-quality postsecondary degree or credential by 2030. This population is especially important to Appalachian’s recruitment efforts, as the number of graduating high school students across the country is on a steady decline. Appalachian is characterized by – and proud of – our capabilities to take charge and problem-solve. We are now operating from a position of strength in a volatile market environment. We will continue to admit qualified students and further our founders’ mission of serving rural areas in North Carolina.
- Provost Darrell Kruger reported both short-term and long-term strategies to ensure academic integrity. Short-term strategies include paying faculty to teach course overloads and hiring adjunct instructors, but we will not rely on these strategies long term. Provost Kruger will fund 10 new tenure-track faculty positions and three new academic advisers in Fall 2020. This continues a five-year commitment that includes adding 43 new faculty lines and 11 advisers. Last year, for the first time in Appalachian’s history, we reached more than 1,000 full-time tenured, tenure-track and instructor faculty — a tremendous milestone that reflects our stellar academic reputation.
- Vice Chancellor Forte's team is ensuring faculty who have earned promotions and tenure this year will see their well-deserved salary increases — retroactive to July 1, 2019 — in their December paychecks.
- Appalachian’s exceptional faculty continue to distinguish themselves on a national scale. Notably, Dr. Kurt Michael, Appalachian’s Stanley R. Aeschleman Distinguished Professor of Psychology, will serve as principal investigator for a $2.5 million U.S. Department of Education grant that will expand mental health services in rural North Carolina schools, and Dr. Kathryn Kirkpatrick, a professor in the Department of English, earned — for the second time — the prestigious Roanoke-Chowan Award for Poetry, this time for her newest collection, “The Fisher Queen: New & Selected Poems.”
- Appalachian’s infrastructure projects — which total nearly $250 million and represent the largest infrastructure investment in the entire UNC System — are making significant progress. Two examples include Phase I of the residence halls project, which will see windows installed and exterior brick completed before December Commencement, and the Sanford Hall renovation, which remains on time and on budget. We expect the work underway will extend the life of this building up to 40 years. The Appalachian’s Future website is continually updated with information and photos regarding these projects and more.
I hope you will take a moment to read my remarks to the Trustees in full here. I will continue to share an update with you after each meeting of the trustees.

Today and every day, it is great to be a Mountaineer.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

Social media highlights
- 11.13 – Our latest institutional ad showcases the heights our students can reach during their journey at Appalachian.
- 11.14 – Appalachian’s own Luke Combs, who has taken the music scene by storm, won Male Vocalist of the Year at the Country Music Awards! Our university is thrilled to welcome him home for his first stadium concert at Kidd Brewer Stadium this May.
- 11.15 – The staff in Facilities Operations makes great use of campus resources to keep our grounds beautiful.
- 11.17 – Last Saturday’s win against Georgia State earned Appalachian’s football team top 25 rankings in the AP Poll and Coaches Poll — a great position to be in as the team heads into its last regular season home game against Texas State this weekend.
- 11.19 – I was honored to host the inaugural Chancellor’s Service Awards Luncheon, during which we recognized more than 120 staff members who have reached 20 years or more of service to the university. These dedicated professionals have collectively served the university for nearly 3,000 years! We’re so very thankful for their time and efforts.
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Exceptional Mountaineers Elevating the Appalachian Experience
Friday, November 15, 2019
Throughout the year, our university delights in opportunities to honor outstanding members of the Appalachian Community. Here are a few recent recognitions:
- This week, Appalachian hosted its Veterans Day Ceremony to honor and commend those who have served our country in the armed services. Our recognition by national publications and our status for nearly a decade as a Military Friendly® School — earning Gold distinction for the 2019–20 academic year — affirm our commitment to strengthen resources for the more than 380 student veterans and active-duty military members at Appalachian. Appalachian alumnus and retired U.S. Army Maj. Ali Donnell Davis ’95 ’01 served as the keynote speaker for this year’s ceremony. Thank you to Maj. Davis and all veterans for sustaining our country and protecting freedoms worldwide.
- During Appalachian’s Halloween football game, two students earned scholarships for academic excellence and service to the community, through funds donated by 1989 Appalachian alumnus Mark E. Ricks’ company Double Wood Farm. Ashley Thomasson, a junior global studies major, received a scholarship for one year of tuition and Taylor Houston, a first-year apparel design and merchandising major, received a scholarship for a meal plan credit. These exceptional Mountaineers were selected from a pool of eligible students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and at least eight hours of community service since spring 2018. Ashley and Taylor competed in a high-stakes game of Connect 4 during halftime to determine the winner and runner-up. Congratulations to both our winners!
- Last month, the Office of Research, the Office of Student Research and University Libraries hosted our university’s inaugural celebration of faculty and staff research and creative activity. During the event, Appalachian presented two new awards that recognize excellence in research, scholarship and creative activity. Our recipients are Dr. Ellen Cowan, professor in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, and Dr. Baker Perry, professor in the Department of Geography and Planning. Congratulations to these exceptional educators for the global significance of their work on climate research.
I am proud to work alongside faculty, staff, students and alumni whose innovative ideas, academic excellence and commitment to service better the future for us all.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

October in review
- Making Family Connections, Earning Top Rankings
  Posted October 4, 2019
- Accolades for the Appalachian Community in Action
  Posted October 11, 2019
- #AppStateIsHome
  Posted October 18, 2019
- Building Community
  Posted October 25, 2019
Social media highlights
- 10.29 – Appalachian graduate students competed in the international 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, explaining complex research in mere minutes!
- 10.29 – Appalachian’s wrestling team joined me at Appalachian House for a reception to honor its many accolades, including four straight SoCon titles.
- 10.30 – Olive dressed up as Appalachian’s coach Drinkwitz for Halloween!
- 11.05 – Appalachian Student Ambassadors are full of energy and lively stories. It was great to gather with this exciting group at Appalachian House.
- 11.08 – Many thanks to the Appalachian Staff Senate for hosting the annual AppKIDS event for nearly four decades. This terrific tradition helps provide warm clothes and other necessities for local children in need.
- 11.09 – The Appalachian football team became the first team in Sun Belt history to beat two Power Five schools in one season and the first Sun Belt team to earn an in-season College Football Playoff ranking.
- 11.11 – Business North Carolina magazine named Leon Levine Hall among the most impressive commercial real estate projects completed in North Carolina.
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October 2019

September 2019

Sharing Appalachian's Successes
Snapshot of September board meetings
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Last week, I participated in the UNC System Board of Governors meeting and also had the opportunity to engage with committees. Sharing university updates and achievements with this influential group of leaders is important for our future.

Earlier this month, Appalachian’s Board of Trustees held their September meeting with a full agenda, including committee meetings for business affairs, student affairs, academic affairs, audit and athletics. At the full board meeting, three new and three reappointed trustees were sworn in by North Carolina District Court Judge Rebecca Eggers-Gryder ’83. It is an honor to welcome John Blackburn, James “J.K.” Reaves ’93, Kimberly Shepherd ’97, Thomas Sofield ’76, Mark Ricks ’89 and DeJon Milbourne to this esteemed board.

Advocating for Appalachian here and across the state, especially in Raleigh, is an important part of my work. I continually affirm Appalachian’s position as the premier public undergraduate institution in North Carolina and took the opportunity to elaborate on this statement in my remarks to the Board of Trustees.

It is vitally important we build infrastructure to help power the human potential on our campus. Our current construction projects total more than $250 million and represent the largest infrastructure investment in the entire UNC System. Each of these projects supports and elevates our educational mission.

As we improve these spaces on our campus, university staff are working diligently to ensure as seamless an experience as possible for the students who are living and learning alongside construction. Appalachian has resources in place to support these initiatives, as well as our continued slow and steady enrollment growth.

Our university is thriving because of the hard work, dedication and strategic vision of the Appalachian Community. Collectively, we are realizing the dream of our founders to increase access to a stellar education.

Thank you for contributing every day as we work together toward our goals.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

Social media highlights
- 09.09 – It was my pleasure to meet with Faculty Senate and host an annual gathering for them at Appalachian House.
- 09.11 – Appalachian is fortunate to have an incredible team of Student Ambassadors who serve our university as official representatives.
- 09.12 – It was a pleasure to collaborate with representatives from the Greater Boone and Watauga County communities during one of our regular Town and Gown meetings.
- 09.12 – In case you missed it, Appalachian’s Food Resource Hub was called out in a recent opinion piece in The New York Times.
- 09.13 – New and reappointed trustees were sworn in during the Sept. 13 Board of Trustees meeting.
- 09.19 – Our university’s beloved ducks shared their prediction for Appalachian’s football game against UNC-Chapel Hill. This tweet was so popular, it even garnered an on-air mention during the televised game.
- 09.21 – Our Mountaineer football team and coach Drinkwitz achieved a historic win against UNC-Chapel Hill, cheered on by Appalachian's stellar fans.
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A Commitment to Student Achievement
Appalachian’s academic mission guides success
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Last Thursday was a great day of celebration! We explored Appalachian’s history during our Founders Day festivities, which included a research showcase with poster presentations by faculty, staff and students, a panel discussion with former Appalachian administrators, the dedication of a new statue of co-founder Lillie Shull Dougherty and the ringing of the Founders Bell for the first time. It was wonderful to see generations of Mountaineers gather to honor our beloved university.

As we celebrate our history, we also recognize our recent achievements. Our official enrollment numbers show we welcomed 19,280 students this fall.

Because of our focus on strengthening the culture of diversity and inclusion on our campus, it is meaningful to note nearly one in five of the first-year population is underrepresented and a record 17.4% of the total population is racially/ethnically diverse. Between 2014 and 2019, Appalachian has increased its total underrepresented student population by 47%.

Retention is a key performance indicator for universities across the nation. At Appalachian, our first- to second-year retention rate is 87.8%, well above the national average, and among underrepresented students, our retention rate is 87.2%, up from 82.3% in 2018.

These figures reflect both our commitment to admitting students who are poised to thrive at Appalachian and our dedication to providing resources that help students succeed once they are here.

As I shared in my remarks on the state of the university last week, funding is tight for academic institutions, and the landscape for higher education is uncertain. Our university is healthy, and we are approaching a landmark enrollment rate of 20,000. Tuition revenue has a direct and immediate impact on our bottom line — increased revenue leads to increased resources: for classroom resources, for salaries and additional personnel, for innovative and creative teaching and research endeavors.

We are focusing on the future, firmly rooted in our past and guided by our academic mission.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

Social media highlights
- 08.30 – I had a great time cheering on the women’s soccer team during their game against Duquesne.
- 08.31 – It was a treat to attend the Hall of Fame breakfast with the legendary Jerry Moore and our newest inductees.
- 08.31 – The Appalachian football season opener was filled with great food, great company and a Mountaineer victory!
- 09.03 – I shared a tribute to university friends Hughlene and Bill Frank at the opening night of the Visiting Writers Series.
- 09.05 – We celebrated Founders Day with an afternoon of festivities, including inducting the inaugural class of the Bell Ringers Society.
- 09.07 – Our Mountaineer football team earned its second win of the season, marking the first 2-0 opener since 2010!
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August 2019

July 2019

Safety, Due Diligence and Housing
Trustees act on HB 389, demolition of Justice Hall
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Last Thursday, after much thought and deliberation, Appalachian’s Board of Trustees met and approved a resolution allowing the university to seek permits to sell alcohol at athletics facilities. North Carolina House Bill 389, signed into law by Gov. Roy Cooper on June 26, allows the state’s public universities to sell beer and wine at their athletics facilities. Approval by the trustees for the university to seek alcohol sales permits is required by North Carolina statutes.

I appreciate the due diligence on the part of our trustees and university staff to ensure we can meet the needs of our university, continue to positively contribute to the local economy and enhance the already outstanding Mountaineer fan experience. Throughout this review, we have prioritized the safety and security of our university community, and we will continue to do so as we work through the logistics related to implementing alcohol sales at our athletics venues.

Research on universities that sell beer and wine at athletics facilities shows significant decreases in alcohol-related arrests and incidents after implementation. Our own experience with the Rock Garten hospitality area outside the north end zone of Kidd Brewer Stadium, which since 2018 has sold limited quantities of alcohol to attendees, has met with positive reviews from fans and the university community.

Also, on Thursday, the board approved the demolition of Justice Hall, a 67-year-old building used for student housing. The demolition, scheduled to begin next summer, is necessary to complete the third phase of our residence halls project. The board’s approval is required for demolition of any university building.

As always, we are committed to recovering as much of the building’s items of value as possible. This project, like the others now in progress on our campus, will be documented on the Appalachian’s Future website.

These are exciting days at Appalachian. We are less than a month away from welcoming a new class of Mountaineers. We have made tremendous progress on many of our infrastructure projects. The new parking deck will be open soon, and I think the orange cone count around campus is actually diminishing! Thank you for your patience.

I appreciate our trustees’ leadership and the commitment to the university and our academic mission exhibited by our faculty, staff and students.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

July in review
- Recognizing Outstanding Scholars
  Posted July 25, 2019
- Living and Learning in the Blue Ridge Mountains
  Posted July 12, 2019
Social media highlights
- 07.26 – It's great to see the UNC System sharing stories about our partnerships with North Carolina vintners.
- 07.27 – An Appalachian Summer Festival’s Rosen Sculpture Walk is always a favorite of mine — I enjoy learning more about the sculptures and the artists who created them.
- 07.29 – I welcomed university and industry partners to the 8th Appalachian Energy Summit on Monday. The work resulting from these summits has saved UNC System campuses and industry partners more than $920 million dollars in utility costs!
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Recognizing Outstanding Scholars
Elevating the future of the Appalachian Community
Thursday, July 25, 2019
At our inaugural Appalachian Scholarship Celebration, I had the pleasure of welcoming scholarship recipients and the generous donors who have opened the doors to higher education for them. Their stories, and the stories of so many other students, serve as reminders of the significance of an Appalachian education.

Our university has long fostered an open and accessible pathway to education for all, and scholarships are vital to continuing this legacy. More than 38% of our academic scholarship recipients identify as being first-generation college students, 41% are low-income students and 38% are defined as coming from rural counties.

We are committed to supporting and expanding the populations we serve, and elevating our scholarship offerings, including the Chancellor’s, Diversity, Fleming and Plemmons scholarships.

We are proud of these remarkable students and of those recipients who came before them. As scholars and alumni, they enrich the Appalachian Community and communities far and wide. For instance:
- Lauren Hempen, an English major with a creative writing concentration, traveled to the Dominican Republic as part of an Alternative Service Experience. She is a 2016 Diversity Scholar and serves as an Appalachian Student Ambassador.
- Appalachian’s Student Government Association President DeJon Milbourne, who is now entering his second term, is a quadruple major in finance and banking, risk management and insurance, accounting and economics. He is also a 2016 Dr. Willie C. Fleming Scholar.
- Alumna Emily Fedders ’19, who graduated in May with a B.S. in geology, was an award-winning member of the Appalachian women’s cross-country team and a 2015 Chancellor’s Scholar. Notably, Emily won the Outstanding Student Presentation Award at the 2018 American Geophysical Union’s Fall Meeting.
We delight in the many successes and contributions of our scholarship students — while they attend Appalachian and later in their careers. I am also appreciative of the many donors — which include 114 of Appalachian’s faculty and staff — who offer thousands of our students opportunities to expand their education and make their mark on the world.

Scholarship funds elevate the future of the Appalachian Community for generations to come.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

Social media highlights
- 07.12 – I had the honor of visiting with Martha Guy during a luncheon for the high school scholars attending the 2019 Martha Guy Summer Institute.
- 07.12 – Staff Connect is a time for our dedicated staff members to enjoy time with their colleagues.
- 07.13 – An Appalachian Summer Festival's Patti LaBelle concert was a fun evening that brought together universities and communities from across the region.
- 07.19 – I was delighted to welcome donors and students to the inaugural Appalachian Scholarship Celebration.
- 07.20 – Honoring the founders of An Appalachian Summer Festival was a meaningful and delightful way to celebrate the festival's 35th season.
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Living and Learning in the Blue Ridge Mountains
A natural setting for exceptional learning
Friday, July 12, 2019
Our home in the Blue Ridge Mountains offers infinite opportunities for exploration, and we recently received external validation to that point. Peterson’s — the world’s leading educational services company — named Appalachian in its “The 20 Best Colleges for Outdoor Enthusiasts” list. The university placed 13th out of the 20 recognized schools nationwide, which were ranked based on the academic and recreational opportunities they provide.

At Appalachian, outdoor recreation builds on the foundations set by our academic programs — simultaneously nurturing the growth of the Appalachian Community. Whether our students and faculty are on a mountaintop, in a classroom, on the banks of a river or on an athletic field, important learning is taking place.

Our academic offerings also make good use of our living laboratory — rich with watersheds, rivers, forests, rock outcrops and highly diverse animal and plant communities — and engage students and faculty with the outdoors. The recent Appalachian-produced documentary about Moses Cone's Flat Top Manor gives an intimate look at one such local landmark and highlights the experiential education received by our students.

As often as possible, Appalachian designs outdoor recreation offerings to have lifelong benefits. For instance, more than 240 students participate each summer in First Ascent, a wilderness orientation program for incoming first-year and transfer students, and more than 40 students are trained to become outdoor adventure trip leaders through Outdoor Programs’ Instructor Development Program. Our students thrive in these programs and feel daily the impact of our incomparable location on their lives and studies.

The Appalachian Experience is all the better because of our location in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

Social media highlights
- 07.01 – I shared a photo taken by our university photographer of a breathtaking sunrise over @appstate’s campus.
- 07.01 – Dr. Baker Perry and Dr. Anton Seimon represented our world-class faculty on the peaks of Mount Everest.
- 07.10 – The educators at the App State Academy at Middle Fork excel as teachers and as students earning advanced degrees, always with the goal of elevating the experience for our mini-Mountaineers.
- 07.11 – I enjoyed a wonderful evening with An Appalachian Summer Festival’s Advisory Board and their friends at @chetola_resort.
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June 2019

Sharing Appalachian’s Accomplishments
Marks of distinction across the university
Friday, June 28, 2019
I value meeting with our Board of Trustees throughout the year, and I take the opportunity to share with them our updates and achievements — ranging from infrastructure to Mountaineer successes. Our esteemed Trustees advocate daily on behalf of Appalachian’s faculty, staff and students, and we are appreciative of all they do for our university. Significant work takes place during these meetings, like the one held June 21 which included:
- An update on the university’s strategic plan, “The Appalachian Experience: Envisioning a Just and Sustainable Future 2014-2019.” The University Planning and Priorities Council held more than a dozen listening sessions last year to gather input for the next iteration of the strategic plan, which will be drafted in the 2019-20 academic year.
- Approval of an increase to the Appalachian Heights funding authorization to address existing issues related to pipes, ductwork and dehumidification. Built in 1996, the facility is structurally sound and these renovations will extend the life of the building for 20–30 years.
- An update on the renovation of Sanford Hall. The renovation — which is expected to extend the life of the building by as much as 40 years — is getting underway and is scheduled to be completed by 2021. Appalachian excels at completing projects on time and on budget.
- An informational presentation on North Carolina House Bill 389, which allows for controlled consumption of beer and wine in athletics venues at UNC System schools. Research on universities that sell beer and wine at athletics facilities shows significant decreases in alcohol-related arrests and incidents after implementation. Board of Trustees approval would be required in order to change our current policy, and I appreciate the Trustees' thorough review of the options available to Appalachian.
These meetings also afford me the opportunity to share the tremendous success stories I witness every day. On this occasion, I recounted the internationally recognized work of two Appalachian faculty who recently scaled Mount Everest as part of a National Geographic research expedition. Geography professor Dr. Baker Perry was on the team that installed the two highest operating automated weather stations in the world, and faculty researcher Dr. Anton Seimon was on the team that recorded what we believe to be elevation records for at least two insect species. Visit Appalachian Today for the latest details. It is worth mentioning that Dr. Perry also solved a critical technical crisis at more than 27,000 feet with a shovel and a roll of duct tape — true Appalachian ingenuity!

You are welcome to read my full remarks here. I will share an update with you after each meeting of the Trustees.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

June in review
- A Reflection on Some Key Points of Pride
  Posted June 7, 2019
- Honoring the Appalachian Experience
  Posted June 14, 2019
- Celebrating 35 Years of An Appalachian Summer Festival
  Posted June 22, 2019
Social media highlights from late June
- 06.21 – @EducationNC shared the important work that took place at @appstateacademy this year.
- 06.21 – What a terrific evening listening to humorous storytelling by keynote speaker Bobby Cremins at the @appstatesports Legends Gala.
- 06.25 – Congratulations to the winners of the Walker College of Business’ 2019 Sywassink Awards for Excellence.
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Celebrating 35 Years of An Appalachian Summer Festival
World-class arts in the High Country
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Next week we’ll launch the 35th annual An Appalachian Summer Festival with headliners like Patti LaBelle, Lily Tomlin, North Carolina Black Repertory Company and the Broyhill Chamber Ensemble. The festival cultivates diverse and vibrant arts that enrich our campus and region. With help from many generous donors and support from our local community, it has become a broad and eclectic mix of music, dance, theatre, visual arts and film that still stays true to its founding principle of promoting young, American artists.

Many thanks to the Office of Arts and Cultural Programs, whose tireless work on this annual celebration creates a lasting impact on Appalachian’s arts legacy in the High Country and has been recognized by national media, including Southern Living and The New York Times.

Concurrently, Appalachian presents the annual Cannon Music Camp, now in its 51st year — a prestigious, highly intensive, three-week course in performance and music theory designed for top-tier high school musicians. This week, 220 participants will arrive on our campus and begin private lessons and daily rehearsals with faculty of the Hayes School of Music. This experience serves as an ideal opportunity to showcase the full scope of Appalachian’s preeminent academics and faculty.

I’m delighted that this year 44 former Cannon camp musicians auditioned for and were accepted into the Hayes School of Music. I look forward to welcoming them to the Appalachian Community in fall 2019.

As a complement to these marquee events, Appalachian’s Department of Theatre and Dance hosts the Cre8tive Drama Day Camp and Summer Dance Series — two shining examples of how our future arts professionals learn beyond the classroom during their time as Mountaineers.

An Appalachian Summer Festival, Cannon Music Camp, the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and the countless other arts enrichment opportunities that take