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.

/s/ Sheri Everts

Sheri Everts, Chancellor

January in review