COVID-19 update from Appalachian State University — week of April 20–24
On Monday, we will start the final week of classes for spring semester. Final projects, exams and end-of-year celebrations look quite different this year, but our faculty, staff and students have rallied to find opportunities in adversity and to make the most of every situation. I would like to share some important updates about topics of particular interest:
Fall semester:
I am encouraged by Governor Cooper’s plan to
lift restrictions as the metrics across the
state support such a move. At the UNC System
level and on our campus, discussions about what
is possible for fall semester have been robust,
creative and engaging. In meetings with my
leadership team, I have asked them to view our
operations differently and to consider options
broadly, creatively and ambitiously. We are
looking at every option that will allow us to
welcome our faculty and students back to their
classrooms and labs this fall. Our faculty and
staff have been problem-solving numerous
contingencies and mitigation strategies, and
this work is what will make it possible for us
to emerge from our stay-at-home status with
solid recovery options in place. These times
call for us to think beyond what we have always
done and develop adaptable solutions, and you
continue to demonstrate your talent and
conviction in this regard. Thank you for your
continued dedication as we move toward a return
to campus.
Spring 2020 Commencement:
This year’s Spring Commencement will be unlike
any event in Appalachian’s history. While we
wish we could be together in the Holmes
Convocation Center, our university’s first
virtual commencement ceremony will retain as
much pomp and circumstance as possible as we
honor this tremendous milestone. Many thanks to
the members of our virtual commencement
committee — made up of 24 faculty, staff and
students — who are working tirelessly to ensure
our event will, beyond doubt, be a special and
memorable occasion! The virtual commencement
will broadcast Saturday, May 16, at 11 a.m. on
appstate.edu and on the Appalachian State University Facebook page, and a
recording will be available to continue sharing
with family and friends. May and August
graduates will also be invited to attend a
special commencement ceremony in their honor in
December.
CARES Act funding:
We continue to receive guidance from the U.S.
Department of Education about CARES Act funding. The direction for disbursing
the funding for students, as well as for how we
may use the institutional funding, is extremely
complicated and involves much oversight, but we
are dedicated to providing financial relief to
our students, especially for those hardest hit
with financial challenges that are presenting
obstacles to completing their degrees.
We will continue to regularly share additional information and updates on these important matters. My weekly updates and additional information for campus about the university's response to COVID-19 are posted to the university’s dedicated coronavirus website.
As we plan for the future, this is a time of year when we look back at the accomplishments of the academic year, and for many of our students, their academic careers. On Monday, I will share an end-of-year report with the Faculty Senate, and as I review this extraordinary year and the many challenges it has put before our community, I continue to be uplifted by the insights of our faculty.
In a recent nationally published article, Dr. Andrew Koricich, associate professor of higher education in the Reich College of Education, offered his thoughts on how COVID-19 will impact students from rural communities. He wrote, “None of us get to sit this out, because we’re going to be in a very different world. And I want to be in a world where folks from rural communities are in a position to start speaking up more and being heard better. So we need those folks to come back to do the work that we have to do.” Thank you, Dr. Koricich, for underscoring our important legacy as a rural-serving institution.
The academic mission is our greatest endeavor and the work of our students is our greatest legacy. I am proud to share the dedication to this ultimate goal with you, and I continue to be inspired each day by our faculty, staff and students.
Sheri Everts, Chancellor
