BOONE — North Carolina State Rep. Ray Pickett was present while the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees met on Sept. 16 to discuss institution updates and approve several financial matters at the North End Zone Facility in the Grandview Ballroom.
To begin the meeting, Chancellor Sheri Everts addressed the board and shared updates on campus. Everts said that the UNC Board of Governors approved a new strategic plan that includes plans for university-wide finances, climate action, research, equity and inclusion and comprehensive fundraising.
Everts said several projects, including the expansion of the Child Development Center and the residence halls project, have been completed as the university shifts its focus to other areas. The first academic building of the Innovation District began in March and the final stages are currently scheduled to be complete by summer 2025. Everts thanked Pickett several times throughout her presentation for the “best budget in university history.”
Everts said a UNC System STEM Capital Planning Study projected that App State would need “approximately 132,000 square feet of space dedicated to science, technology, engineering and math in order to meet projected demands by 2030.” The study looked at replacing I.G. Greer with a multistory STEM building as cost-effective renovations would not be possible as the building “does not have good bones,” according to Everts. Everts said this is a priority funding project.
Following Everts remarks, Board of Trustees Chair Kimberly Shepherd invited each committee to share updates presented by their chair.
Finances and Operations Committee Chair James K. Reaves encouraged the approval of three consent agenda items. Reaves said the board should support New River Light and Power in borrowing money to “finance elevated purchased power costs until NRLP can fully recover the costs” and the “Working Capital Financing is not expected to exceed $7,000,000,” according to the resolution provided by the committee.
Reaves continued to request the board’s approval of $3.8 million for the remodeling at Rivers Street and Trivette Dining Halls to an “All You Care to Eat” dining plan and the renewal of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education’s lease of Middle Fork Academy until June 30, 2028.
The board approved all three items along with the June 16 and 17 and July 26 meeting minutes in the collective approval of the consent agenda without further discussion.
Shepherd then requested a motion for the board to convene in closed session. No action was taken following closed session and the meeting was adjourned. The App State Board of Trustees will hold their next regular meeting on Friday, Dec. 2.
Thanks to modern technologies, you and more people are reading the Watauga Democrat than ever before. Freedom of the press is essential to preserving democracy: But a free press isn't free. It takes significant resources for Mountain Times Publications' 8 full-time reporters and editors to provide credible, fact-based and ethical journalism in the High Country. So, we are asking you to join our advertisers and print subscribers in supporting local journalism with your dollar. Your financial support will help sustain these services that you use to inform your decisions and engage with your community.
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION
Post a comment as anonymous
Report
Watch this discussion.Stop watching this discussion.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
Thanks to modern technologies, you and more people are reading the Watauga Democrat than ever before. Freedom of the press is essential to preserving democracy: But a free press isn't free. It takes significant resources for Mountain Times Publications' 8 full-time journalists and editors to provide credible, fact-based and ethical journalism in the High Country. So, we are asking you to join our advertisers and print subscribers in supporting local journalism with your dollar. Your financial support will help sustain these services that you use to inform your decisions and engage with your community.
Your financial support will help sustain these services that you use to inform your decisions and engage with your community.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.