Update from Appalachian State University — week of June 15-19
Today is Juneteenth, a day that celebrates the end
of slavery in the United States. It commemorates the
date in 1865 that Union soldiers arrived in
Galveston, Texas, and told slaves of their
emancipation — more than two years after President
Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation
and months after the end of the Civil War. More than
150 years later, as we are also enmeshed in a
world-altering pandemic, our campus and our nation
still face the ugly roots of racism and the
devastating inequalities they create.
This commemoration calls on us to reaffirm that
Black Lives Matter and to reflect and consider the
importance of Juneteenth and what each of us can do
in our daily actions to make real and powerful
changes.
As a key member of my leadership team, Chief
Diversity Officer Dr. Willie Fleming elevates the
important work of aligning our university’s
diversity and inclusion goals with our values of
embracing diversity of thought, belief and
community, and offers further insight into how our
university can be more responsive, supportive and
resilient. While we have moved forward on key
actions and initiatives, there is still much we need
to do. Dr. Fleming and his colleagues are finalizing
the universitywide strategic diversity plan that
will guide the full commitment of our institutional
efforts and bring invaluable coordination to the
urgent work of creating a more diverse and equitable
Appalachian and will provide the Appalachian
Community with updates on our continuing progress —
and our challenges — on a regular basis. You can
read an important update from him here:
As Appalachian’s Chief Diversity Officer, it is my role to provide the vision, leadership, coordination and strategic planning for improving Appalachian’s campus diversity and inclusion so that everyone in our university community is valued, supported and respected. I am the first Chief Diversity Officer of a stand-alone office, which is one of many firsts that have been a foundation for real change through action. With my colleagues, I continually study our campus climate to assess how we value, respect and support members of our underrepresented groups, as well as the general campus community. Are we where we need to be? Absolutely not, but we are committed to ensuring Appalachian’s culture is one that fosters inclusive excellence. [Read more]
Sheri Everts, Chancellor
Because of the pandemic, for the past three months, staff, students and faculty dispersed across the area, even across the country, have come together Zoom by Zoom, hour by hour, day by day, focused on sustaining the academic mission and working our way back to campus. For that I am extremely grateful. I and members of the dedicated recovery leadership teams are meeting with UNC System leaders and local public health agencies as well as groups across campus to get input from faculty, staff and students. We are touring classrooms, hallways, walking paths, construction sites and transportation systems to observe and advise, to ask and answer questions.
- The website dedicated to sharing the
planning underway for continuity of
teaching, research and learning during the
challenges of COVID-19 is available
here.
- Read the update from the Project Management Implementation Team sent to campus yesterday here.
- Read the update on COVID-19 positive case counts and reporting process here.
- In my June 12 update to campus, I shared face coverings would be required for - and provided to - faculty, staff and students. Here's a link to the latest message to campus with additional details.
