Thank you, Jim. Good afternoon, everyone.
First, I want to welcome Eric Johnson, senior advisor for Strategy and Communications for the UNC System, who is joining us today. We’re happy to have you here at Appalachian State University's Boone campus.
Today, I would like to touch on several key topics:
- Our preparation for potential CPHE accreditation;
- An idea for new summer programming and experiential learning in the High Country;
- Academic growth and new clinical facilities at App State Hickory;
- Upcoming faculty award nomination opportunities;
- Our fall Open House events; and
- Upcoming opportunities for faculty and campus engagement.
I will begin with a brief update on our institutional accreditation work.
As you know, App State is pursuing accreditation through the Commission for Public Higher Education, or CPHE, along with other institutions across the UNC System. I want to emphasize that App State remains fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, now known as The Commission on Colleges and Universities, while we pursue accreditation through CPHE.
Our work now is focused on preparing the initial CPHE self-study, and we plan to build from much of the material developed for our most recent SACS review — updating it where needed rather than asking faculty and staff to recreate work that remains current and relevant.
We anticipate a CPHE campus visit in March 2027, followed by consideration of our accreditation application by the CPHE Board of Directors in June.
Again, our current SACS accreditation remains in place. Only after CPHE becomes a federally recognized accreditor — expected in late 2027 or early 2028 — will the university consider whether to continue with SACS accreditation.
We will continue to keep the campus informed as this work moves forward.
I also want to raise an idea that has come out of recent conversations within the Chancellor’s Faculty Senate Advisory Committee about how we might think differently about summer academic programming.
For a long time, we have talked about ways to make better use of the summer term, but there have also been real barriers to doing that effectively. One thing that has changed significantly is how students engage with summer school. Today, much of our summer enrollment is online, which gives us an opportunity to think about what an in-person experience in Boone and the High Country could offer that students cannot get elsewhere.
One idea is to develop short-term, experiential programs that highlight our region — pairing academic coursework with field-based, outdoor, community or professional learning unique to Western North Carolina.
I would welcome additional exploration of this idea by the Faculty Senate. If there is interest, I’m happy to continue that conversation and explore what we might build together.
As we transition into the winter season, I want to make you aware that a team including representation from Academic Affairs, the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management, University Communications and other units on campus are currently working to revise and streamline messaging around winter weather impacts on campus operations. The goal is to provide greater clarity and flexibility where needed. I will have more updates to share next month.
I also want to recognize an important milestone taking place today at App State Hickory.
This afternoon, the Beaver College of Health Sciences and Hickory campus are welcoming members of the university and Hickory communities for an open house highlighting newly completed areas on the second floor of the Hickory campus.
These new facilities include a dedicated nursing simulation lab for our hybrid Doctor of Nursing Practice program, along with an expanded home for the Beaver College of Health Sciences’ Interprofessional Clinic, and its Aging Well and Growing Well services for the community.
This is an important step in the continued development of our academic programs in Hickory. The simulation lab gives nursing students a dedicated setting where they can apply what they are learning and prepare for advanced clinical practice. The Interprofessional Clinic creates more opportunities for faculty and students to work together while providing care and connecting our academic mission with the needs of the region.
Another upcoming event at the App State Hickory campus is the Fall Festival on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 5 to 8 p.m. The festival will include trunk-or-treating, games, a fall-themed photo booth and other activities. All are invited and encouraged to bring their families and friends.
I also want to remind everyone about two faculty award opportunities.
Nominations are open for the 2027 Board of Governors Awards for Excellence in Teaching, and I encourage you to consider putting forward a colleague.
These awards recognize sustained excellence and commitment to teaching. The top award includes statewide recognition, and App State also presents university- and college-level teaching awards through the same nomination process. Eligible nominees must have at least five years of teaching at App State and be teaching during the academic year in which they are selected.
Nominations are due Friday, Oct. 16, at 5 p.m.
I also encourage you to consider a colleague for the Oliver Max Gardner Award. This is the highest honor conferred on UNC System faculty and recognizes a faculty member whose work has made an exceptional contribution to the welfare of humankind.
Eligible nominees may have made a recent national or international contribution, or local contributions that serve as a model for the national or international community. Each UNC System institution puts forward one nominee.
App State faculty, staff, students, administrators and alumni may submit nominations, and the deadline is Friday, Nov. 6, at 5 p.m.
Both of these awards give us an important opportunity to recognize the teaching, research and contributions of our faculty. I hope you will take a moment to consider colleagues whose work deserves that recognition.
Looking ahead, our fall Open House events are coming up soon — Oct. 17 in Boone and Oct. 24 in Hickory.
These events give prospective students and their families an opportunity to experience App State firsthand, meet faculty and current students, explore academic programs, tour campus and learn more about admissions, financial aid and student life.
A great deal of work goes into these events across the university, and I want to thank the faculty, staff and academic units preparing to take part in Boone and Hickory.
I also want to encourage our faculty to take part in the next Faculty Club gathering on October 26, 2026 from 3 to 5 p.m in the Plemmons Student Union Solarium. I hope to see you there!
Thank you for your time today and for your continued partnership.
Chair Westerman, this concludes my remarks.