Academic Affairs

Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Neva J. Specht — Welcome

Good afternoon. I am pleased to welcome all of you here in this lovely snow globe and those joining us via livestream.

As you can see from today's agenda, we will be hearing from leaders from across the university who represent the various facets of our campus community. I want to thank:

• Chancellor Norris;
• Faculty Senate Chair Jim Westerman;
• Staff Senate Co-Chair Katie Leslie;
• Student Body President Nicole Tran; and
• Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice Chancellor J.J. Brown

for taking the time to share updates today. Our collaborative culture is what drives App State forward, and I appreciate your dedication and leadership as we continue to work together.

At this time, I would like to welcome Chancellor Norris to the podium.

Chancellor Heather Norris — Opening Remarks

Thank you, Neva, and good afternoon, everyone!

It's wonderful to be together with so many of you in person today — something we've learned is valuable, and not always to be taken for granted. I want to thank all of you for your patience and perseverance as we've managed a particularly challenging winter. I'd also like to take this opportunity to offer a special thanks to our essential personnel, who have been working around the clock to manage the impacts of the many inches of snow and ice that fell and accumulated at our Boone and Hickory campuses, as well as at our Academy at Middle Fork in bitterly cold temperatures and high winds. These essential staff regularly coordinate operations with local, state and federal emergency management partners, help negotiate and communicate the operational decisions and schedule disruptions, and ensure the continuity of essential services, including our dining halls, residence halls, health care services, recreational facilities and critical infrastructure.

Thanks also to our faculty for making many adjustments to help ensure our students can meet their learning objectives despite the interruptions in our operations. And — while this is a faculty and staff meeting — SGA President Nicole Tran is here representing the student body, so, please join me in thanking her for her leadership, and know that I thank our many students as well, for maintaining that Mountaineer grit and tenacity for which we are known!

I'm excited to hear the updates that will be shared with you today and echo the remarks Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Specht shared earlier about the importance of a collaborative university community, exemplified in the participation from our Faculty Senate, Staff Senate and Student Government Association.

We have many important initiatives on the horizon, and it's this collaboration — both internally and with the communities we serve — that will ensure success.

As I shared at the beginning of this academic year, as we look ahead to who we will become as a university in the next two, five, 10 years and beyond, the vision will be shaped by input from you. We look forward to your participation in the development of the university's next Strategic Plan, which will be collaborative, collective and iterative. Our two executive vice chancellors, Provost Neva Specht and Chief Operating Officer J.J. Brown, are helping lead this effort, and you will all be invited to participate, as will our community partners in the High Country and Catawba Valley. We're currently in the process of collecting information through interviews, focus group sessions, workshops and surveys. Later this month, faculty and staff will receive an invitation to engage with this process, and we will also be including students, alumni, parents and community leaders in the conversations later this spring. I look forward to a process that develops a strong and bold vision for the future of our institution — and thank you in advance for your contributions.

Later in this meeting, you'll hear more from COO J.J. Brown about the university's Master Plan, which is also underway, and is being led by COO Brown. This plan will help guide the university's long-term physical infrastructure development in ways that support the strategic goals of the institution and the communities we serve. And J.J. will share more information about his work to expand input into the process, which began last academic year.

Also on the horizon for our university is a comprehensive fundraising campaign, which is currently in the very beginning stages. Vice Chancellor of University Advancement Will Sears and his team are engaging university leaders about their strategic fundraising priorities, while at the same time engaging donors in conversations about their priorities for supporting the university. In addition, wider conversations about strategic priorities within our university departments, colleges, offices, units, and divisions will inform our annual budget process, which includes the open Budget and Strategic Initiatives presentations, to be held later this semester.

As we progress in our campaign planning, I'll be sure to share updates with you.

I know we're all eager to hear the rest of today's updates, so I'll conclude with a thank you to you all, for your continued dedication to — and passion for — our university's success. I am proud to work alongside all of you.

Provost Specht — Academic Affairs Update

Thank you, Chancellor, for those remarks — and for hosting the reception that will follow today's presentation! We look forward to joining everyone for a time of fellowship and conversation.

My remarks today will focus on these three things:

• Leadership and recent achievements in the Academic Affairs Division;
• App State Online and Flight Path programs; and
• Strategic planning for the App State Hickory campus

As I shared back in the fall, the restructured Division of Academic Affairs is now organized to comprise four key units:

• Academic Affairs;
• Student Affairs;
• Enrollment Management; and
• Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources

Within these units, our core leadership team includes:

• Jamie Parson, who is senior vice provost for faculty policies, development and training. In addition, her work includes oversight of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success and the Child Development Center, and she serves as the Academic Affairs liaison for Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources.
• Dr. Mike McKenzie, vice provost of academic program development and strategic initiatives. As of January, Mike's portfolio now includes oversight of Enrollment Management, which includes the Office of the Registrar, Financial Aid and Scholarships, Enrollment Communications, and Admissions.
• Dr. Mark Bradbury, who is serving as interim vice provost for academic programming and planning, coordinating the Flight Path initiative, University College units, General Education, Student Success programs, and international programs.
• Dr. Amy Wood, associate vice provost for academics and community outreach for App State's Hickory campus.
• Jeff Cathey, interim vice provost for student affairs, who is providing strategic leadership for all Student Affairs units.
• And Elizabeth Auer, who is executive director of arts engagement and cultural resources.

I want to thank these leaders and their teams for their perseverance, flexibility and guidance during this realignment — all while navigating policy changes from the federal and state government as well as the UNC System. Their efforts have ensured continuity and progress for our students, faculty and staff.

I also want to thank Chancellor Norris for a vision that prioritizes the full student journey, from their first interest in the university through graduation. Thank you, Chancellor, for setting this course and for providing the steady support we need to build our momentum.

Our leadership and staff are working diligently and intentionally on the priorities I shared last fall: to align expertise across our colleges and campuses and to remove unnecessary barriers, ensuring clear pathways for our students to achieve their goals.

While this work continues, we have significant milestones to celebrate:

• Our university achieved a record enrollment last fall, with 1.1% growth over fall 2024, a 28% increase in online students, a record number of transfer students and a 2.8% increase in graduate student enrollment — while holding Boone campus enrollment steady, which Chancellor Norris has consistently identified as part of our managed growth strategy. And we’ve just learned that App State set a new record for spring enrollment this semester, with 20,461 students as of census day.
  
  
• Our academic programs continue to achieve high rankings, with App State earning recognition from top publications for innovation, undergraduate teaching, student experience, support for military-affiliated students, and the value we provide. Recently, U.S. News and World Report also recognized the quality of our online programs, ranking App State among the top 18% of U.S. colleges and universities for best online bachelor's programs in 2026 — while also recognizing our online bachelor's programs in business, master's programs in education and nursing, and MBA.
  
  
• App State is among 60 higher education institutions selected to join this year's class of the FirstGen Forward Network — a national initiative designed to support and enhance the success of first-generation college students. Schools were selected based on their demonstrated commitment to improving experiences and advancing success for first-generation students.
  
  
• Our Civic Literacy Initiative, launched in fall 2024, aims to foster a civically engaged and informed university community, focusing on three critical areas of civic engagement: dialogue across differences, voter participation and free speech and expression. So far, nearly 1,000 App State students, faculty and staff have participated in a program to equip them with skills for constructive dialogue.
  
  
• This week, App State was once again recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Students and Scholars by the U.S. Department of State and Institute of International Education. App State is one of seven schools across the nation to receive this honor for the 2025–26 academic year and the only master's institution to earn this distinction.
  
  
• Work across many units contributed to App State's recent Community Engagement Classification from the American Council on Education and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Through service learning, community partnerships, arts and education outreach programs, and applied research, App State enriches scholarship, strengthens civic responsibility and contributes to the public good. A special thanks goes out to all who worked hard to achieve this national classification.

To meet the needs of all students, we continue to expand the programs offered through App State Online — including those supported by Project Kitty Hawk — and our Hickory campus.

In fall 2026, App State Online will add programs in undergraduate elementary education and special education — providing more avenues for future educators to earn their degrees. In addition, we are seeing strong interest in our new Doctor of Nursing Practice program, a hybrid program combining online coursework with in-person instruction at the Hickory campus.

The number of App State Online: Flight Path programs grew to six this semester, with the addition of a new marketing degree. App State's Flight Path programs are supported through a partnership with Project Kitty Hawk — which provides online student support services tailored to nontraditional learners.

With the addition of these new programs, App State will offer more than 55 degree and certificate programs online.

As we continue to grow and develop educational opportunities for our online Mountaineers, we are doing the same at our Hickory campus.

Dr. Amy Wood is leading efforts to develop a five-year strategic plan for App State Hickory — shaped by input from faculty, staff and stakeholders from both campuses and the community. A draft plan will be ready for review in the coming months.

Programs at App State Hickory continue to expand, focusing on multiple types of pathways that meet the needs of students and regional employers. Students can complete one of 14 degree programs offered entirely on the Hickory campus, fulfill their General Education curriculum before finishing their degree in Boone, or take courses as dually enrolled high school students or adult learners through continuing education opportunities.

Examples of new programs under development include:

• an emergency management certificate program, which could be completed with the Bachelor of Science in professional studies or other majors;
• a Hickory Police Cadet initiative in partnership with the City of Hickory Police Department and Catawba Valley Community College;
• a new business concentration in aviation management; and
• executive courses and professional development programs that enhance strategic thinking, leadership skills and industry expertise.

The campus continues to engage and collaborate with the Greater Hickory community, exploring new ways to open its space for community use and providing programs that directly benefit Catawba Valley residents.

Last year, the Hickory campus hosted more than 6,000 visitors who attended events such as workshops, conferences, business meetings, corporate trainings and alumni chapter gatherings.

Reading and math clinics for school children provide hands-on learning experiences that not only serve local families but also give our education majors real-world practice. In addition, the campus offers an Aging Well program that provides specialized services to the senior community and will soon add a Growing Well program for young children identified with developmental delays. And, through a new agreement with the Hickory Museum of Art, a rotating gallery from the museum's collection will place curated works of art throughout the learning environment.

To conclude my remarks, I want to share a recent example of the collaborative culture that I referenced at the start of the meeting. Over the winter break, a cross-functional team of registrars, advisors, deans, and faculty worked concertedly to integrate our new transfer student-athletes, ensuring every student was fully enrolled for the spring semester. This effort goes beyond logistics; it demonstrates that every interaction is an opportunity to directly impact a student's future. I am proud of this team for ensuring our newest Mountaineers could hit the ground running on day one.

Before closing, I would like to note that unfortunately, tonight's Fizzy First Friday at the Turchin Center has been canceled due to the weather. But we hope you will visit the Turchin soon to view two exhibitions opening today, including one with over 100 pieces of art from the Dieu Donné studio in New York. The Turchin is also celebrating the 23rd Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition, which has shifted its announcement of awards, artist discussion and reception to March 6 — the next First Friday event. Thank you, Elizabeth, for these updates!

Thank you all for your time, and I appreciate all you do, every single day!

At this time, I'd like to welcome Faculty Senate Chair Jim Westerman, who will be followed by Staff Senate Co-Chair Kathryn Leslie and Student Body President Nicole Tran.

Dr. Jim Westerman — Faculty Senate Remarks

We are living in a moment of real chaos — noise in politics, noise in media, and noise around higher education itself. I've learned — partly as a first-generation college student — that progress doesn't come from noise, but progress comes from hard work.

That's why, in the middle of all this noise, I have never been prouder of our App State faculty. You tune out distractions, roll up your sleeves, and show up with humility to do the work. In our classrooms, labs, and studios, you teach, mentor and challenge students, helping them build skills, develop judgment and find their paths in life. You are the lifeblood of this campus, turning the promise of our university into something real for the students we serve.

That commitment also shows up in our work beyond the classroom, including shared governance and institutional stewardship. Through the Faculty Senate, colleagues have engaged substantively with the UNC System on academic freedom, syllabi disclosure protections, and system budget issues, and with our administration to defend the core commitments of higher education: science, truth and academic freedom. This work has included improving the Faculty Handbook and Academic Affairs Standard Operating Procedures policies, helping to develop a code of ethics, and creating practical tools that allow teaching and mentoring to take place without fear.

This work is not loud, and it is often frustrating — but it matters. Appalachian State is a critical economic engine for North Carolina, the High Country, and the communities we serve because of what our students are able to do when they leave here. That impact begins with our faculty doing their teaching, research and service in an unimpeded fashion. Where students can explore ideas, be challenged, develop skills, learn to apply knowledge and to evaluate information responsibly. And faculty are free to translate ideas into learning environments, research into solutions and education into knowledge that serves our communities. In a time when we are flooded with AI slop — information without context, structure or judgment — the faculty role matters more than ever. Faculty bring the expertise, context and human judgment necessary to ensure these tools strengthen learning and skill development for our students and the communities we serve, rather than the opposite.

We often talk about our shared values of the Faculty Senate — that we are constructive, creative, caring and credible. You can keep the words or drop them. What matters is that those values show up in practice every day, in how we teach, mentor and engage. Faculty are here to change people's lives, to help students find their purpose and to make a difference beyond this campus. That work is demanding, much of it is invisible, and it is absolutely worth doing. Thank you, Appalachian faculty, and our faculty senators, for doing it so well. I look forward to your contributions in the coming year.

Kathryn Leslie — Staff Senate Remarks

Hello everyone. My name is Katie Leslie, and I have the privilege of serving as co-chair of the Staff Senate. My counterpart, Samantha Williams, is currently traveling internationally, but she sends her warmest regards. Thank you for inviting me to join you today and for the opportunity to provide an update on behalf of the Staff Senate.

Our guiding theme this year is Community, Communication and Service, and we intentionally built our goals around these values. Staff Senators do not represent individual divisions; instead, they represent staff as a whole. With that in mind, we are improving our communication with staff through multiple channels and expanding our service opportunities for senators and the campus community. This year, we added a Hickory campus representative to our executive team and updated our bylaws to reflect much-needed changes, including the ability to hold virtual meetings. We have also started to rebuild relationships with the Faculty Senate and with the undergraduate and graduate Student Government Associations as part of our commitment to advancing shared governance. We're excited to see where these partnerships will lead.

I also want to take a moment to remind staff — and supervisors — that all staff members are welcome to attend Staff Senate meetings. Our administration supports the Staff Senate and recognizes the value of staff engagement in our campus community.

I would now like to highlight the work of our dedicated senators. One of our signature initiatives is AppKIDS Day, an annual program supporting K–12 students in Watauga County Schools. Each year, App State faculty and staff volunteer their time to shop for these students. This past fall, AppKIDS served 96 children, with nearly $28,000 spent — $3,000 of which our volunteers personally contributed. These donations were entirely voluntary — no financial donation is ever required to participate. We are deeply grateful to everyone who gave their time and resources to support local students.

Funding for AppKIDS and for our Staff Scholarships is made possible through generous donors and the efforts of our fundraising committee. Our fall silent auction was the most successful on record, raising more than $2,600. This success was because of staff, faculty, and community members who donated items or placed bids. Every dollar raised supports Staff Scholarships, enabling us to increase the number of awards or the size of each award.

We are now preparing for our spring auction, which will directly support this year's AppKIDS event. We hope to offer a strong selection of items, and we welcome your feedback on what you would like to see included.

In addition, our 50/50 raffle is currently underway to raise further support for Staff Scholarships. In this raffle, half of the proceeds go to the winner and half to the scholarship fund. We have raised over $800 so far, meaning at least a $400 prize. Tickets are available for one more week — both at our table today and online — and the prize will continue to grow as sales increase.

For those who may be unfamiliar, Staff Scholarships are available each year to all full-time, permanent staff and their dependents. These scholarships help offset the cost of educational materials, coursework, and other academic expenses. Continuing to support staff and their families in furthering their education is a core part of our commitment to community and service. This year's application cycle will open soon.

Hopefully, most of what I've shared today isn't new information to you. One of our major goals this year has been improving communication. We've focused on timely monthly emails, Scala slides, social media and updating our website to serve as a central hub of information. We want to support staff, amplify their voices and provide clear, accessible resources.

We recognize the challenges our community continues to face. Housing costs remain high, the cost of living continues to rise, and the absence of a state budget adds uncertainty. Staff Senate feels these pressures. Our role is to help ensure that staff have a strong, unified voice — because every staff member has a voice, whether or not they choose to use it. We cannot continue asking staff and faculty to do more with less. Instead, we aim to uplift, empower and inform.

We hope you'll join us. Nominations for Staff Senate are now open, and we encourage you to nominate yourself or a colleague. Together, we can continue building a strong, engaged and supportive campus community.

Thank you.

Nicole Tran — Student Government Association Remarks

Good afternoon, everyone!

My name is Nicole Tran, and I am a senior studying international and comparative politics, with a minor in leadership studies. I am the 2025-26 student body president. In my time as a student leader, I have learned more about myself, and most importantly, the systems and people that make up the university.

I have traveled the world, studied climate change on Mt. Everest, advocated for social rights in Vietnam and shook hands with world leaders at a United Nations conference. However, most of my growth wasn’t in the big, flashy events, but rather the student-run initiatives and events around campus. From my involvement with the Appalachian Student Ambassadors and Student Government Association, to serving as a student orientation leader and resident assistant and most recently joining Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., I have had the privilege of engaging with students, faculty, staff and administrators who consistently strive for excellence. Most importantly, my experience as student body president has challenged me, invested in my growth and ultimately transformed me for the better.

That being said, the Student Government Association has grown more than ever, with the opportunity to connect, relate and mold future student leaders of the university. We have been able to make learning more accessible to students, provide materials to be successful in the real world, and create a network of connections that will last a lifetime. From our legislation advocating for student voice, resources and accessibility to events like the “Off-Campus Housing Fair,” “Climate Conversations Luncheon” or “Women in Leadership Dinner,” SGA continues to grow in ways I am more than proud of.

This year, we also began conversations with Faculty and Staff Senate members through a shared governance meeting, university committees and meeting with the Student Welfare Committee. I hope to continue these conversations, as tackling student concerns is not a task done alone. As I wrap up my last semester here, preparing to defend my honors thesis, I am left with pride to know that App State will continue to grow. I appreciate you all for having me here today, and I am looking forward to seeing the incredible work that the Faculty and Staff Senate continues to do. Thank you for your passion and commitment to this university; you all are what make initiatives possible!

Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer J.J. Brown — Closing Remarks

Good afternoon, everyone. It is great to see all of you here today.

And thank you, Nicole, for that update and for your leadership of the Student Government Association over the last year.

Before I begin, I want to welcome Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Marshall Parks, who is in attendance today. Marshall, will you please stand to be recognized?

Marshall previously served as the human resources director at the University of Northern Colorado, so he is used to cold weather — especially after being introduced to a High Country winter these past couple of weeks! Welcome, Marshall.

And now, I'll turn to an important planning initiative that affects all of us — our Campus Master Plan, a living document that will guide the strategic growth and development of App State's Boone and Hickory campuses.

Many of you here today have been instrumental in this work, which was close to completion in 2023 and placed on hold in 2024 due to both a change in leadership and Hurricane Helene. In reviewing the plan after Helene, we recognized the need to refine our goals — shifting from an App State and facilities focus to one that more broadly reflects our role as a collaborative partner across the High Country and Catawba Valley.

Our planning partner, LS3P, has been re-interviewing stakeholders, conducting focus groups and surveying our community to capture this broader perspective — including interviewing more than two dozen individuals in new App State roles who weren't part of the 2023 and 2024 conversations.

Through further analysis and recent engagement, several goals were consolidated to form a more comprehensive and robust objective; others were clarified and combined to improve focus and alignment; and select goals were refined to better reflect evolving university priorities and strategic direction.

By mid-to-late February, we'll move into a four-month design phase. This timing is intentional, as it allows us to ensure the Master Plan is fully aligned with the university Strategic Plan that Chancellor Norris mentioned and to ready it for presentation to the Board of Trustees in September.

Following the design phase and before the plan goes before the Trustees for a vote, we'll have the opportunity to refine the plan and ensure it truly reflects our comprehensive role in the community. I'm grateful for everyone's engagement in this process, and I'll keep you updated as we move forward.

This plan will be critical to informing the future of App State's physical campus environment, which continues to evolve to meet the needs of our campus communities in Hickory and Boone. An update on capital projects:

• Edwin Duncan's renovation remains on track for completion this spring. The renovated facility will house academic classrooms, the College of Arts and Sciences, the math department and various labs.
• Peacock Hall's transformation has been remarkable to watch. This expansion, slated for completion in 2027, will be a fantastic addition to North Carolina's largest undergraduate business college.
• The Innovation District's STEM building is coming along nicely. We're focused on maximizing spaces for biology department classes and laboratories and seeking additional state support to finish this project out to its full capacity.
• App 105's indoor tennis facility is nearing completion, finalizing major upgrades at the property, which include new facilities for track and field, tennis and softball.
• Construction of App State's new student housing project at App 105 has progressed significantly, with completion scheduled for fall 2027. The complex will offer around 850 student housing beds for upper-division students.
• The new Sofield Indoor Practice Facility project is expected to wrap up in September. This facility will be a tremendous resource for our athletics teams.

In closing, I want to leave you with these words — a truth made more evident over the last year and a half: At App State, we are better together. Whether we are contending with the ice and snow of High Country winters, or navigating the long road of recovery following Helene, we rise to meet every challenge, and we achieve remarkable things — together, and with purpose.

Thank you to everyone who spoke today. This meeting is adjourned. Please enjoy fellowship and continued conversations during this afternoon's reception.

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