Yeah, this is a long blog.
Basically, I watched the committee meetings and main meeting from the March 13-14 Appalachian State Board of Trustees extravaganza.
The committees are where the detailed presentations happen. The main meeting, the main event of the early weekend, is where everything gets stamped, but if you just watch that, you don’t get the whole picture.
Thankfully, these meetings are on YouTube, unlisted to the general YouTube public but linked through the App State BOT webpage.
If you wish, you can watch all these. Each room has a different YouTube page.
Let’s dive in.
Student Affairs
Presentation by JJ Brown of Student Affairs. Proposed student housing project at App 105 (old Watauga High School).
Student housing supply isn’t there for upper-classmen. The on-campus requirement is only for the first year.
App has been leasing the Sleep Inn for the last two years.
Enrollment in Boone has been flat in the last 5 years, growth is online and in Hickory.
Students want private beds, baths and kitchens.
Says some of the on-campus spaces are not competitive.
Guess what? Off-campus housing is hard to find. And more expensive. This impacts the cost of attendance for students and families.
There have been studies about this by various groups.
Per focus groups and studies, students want privacy.
Since 2020, only 517 beds have been introduced into the off-campus housing market, more focused on workforce housing.
This is important to lure in transfer students, but it’s a hazard to find.
This means we’re building beds! 850 of them! One of the last flat plots of land. Individual bedrooms, private bathrooms, shared kitchen.
“Rental rates will be at or below market rate.”
University Highlands is an off-campus apartment facility. Plan to mirror this in management style.
This App 105 project Combo of studio, 1-, 2-, 3 and 4-bedroom units.
Someone is asking a David Ware-esqe length question that is easily answered by coming slides. Let JJ present!
1:1 parking spaces for residents. Plus some additional parking and a side lot (you kinda see it off Temple Drive near the softball field, which is a little steep) dedicated for athletics, JJ says. Might want to make that parking more conducive for the sports up there, IMO.
There’s a question that’s more of a concern from the same person about this. Says there’s a struggle and downplays privacy because “I went to school here in the 70s and 80s.” This is Trustee Steven Wyatt, who is off camera.
JJ says there are additional development opportunities, but the topography of the land makes it more challenging.
The front building with the green roof is a clubhouse with a bus stop in front.
It’s about competing with off-campus housing. This won’t be dorms with RAs and such.
Any more questions?
Dr. Bonnie Schaeffer, by Zoom, asks how far this is from the main campus. JJ says it’s a great question.
Professional folks with manage, like an apartment complex. I’m sure that’ll be remote and understaffed just like other Boone apartments. And this is not for freshmen, Schaeffer asks. Correct!
Anita Greene asks what was there before. JJ says it’s a gravel lot right now, with overflow parking and first-year student parking. (it was the site of Watauga High School until the early 2010s, then had an unofficial skate park, then App State bought it).
Kathryn Long, Student Government Association Rep, is super-duper excited. She’s lived off campus for 3 years, rent has gone up $115 a month and has to pay for parking. She’s worked in orientation and works with transfer students a lot in finding housing. Transfer students don’t get in until May because of rolling admission. Very hard to work with. Hopes to see more attendance for softball and track there. Hell yeah Kathryn, tell them trustees!
The trustees got a slew of articles and studies in their packets that are not publicly available through the BOT website but you can probably find them elsewhere (or just go on Facebook and sludge through the comments).
Closed session for like 10 minutes. Then back open with no crowd. And we’re done here.
Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee
App State FY24 audit by auditor, backlit by God.
No recommendations; clean and unmodified opinion, which is good for an audit. These are only interesting if something is really wrong, so not here.
I’m skipping a lot of this. Internal audit controls and such. It’s important, but man it’s boring when stated out loud. Just watch the scenes with the accounting firm from Parks and Rec.
Several minutes later, the committee chair says the next part is fascinating. It’s about AI in higher education. Guess what? We’re doing wonderful at this, says the guy.
ChapGPT passed the Sommelier and other exams like the SAT and GRE. It’s not perfect tho (more human input makes AI dumber). This changes the way we teach.
Lots of giggling and laughing about how board members wanted this while in school.
They’re using AI to write grants. So many dead trees in this presentation. Using it for strategic planning and forecasting budgets.
This is only safe for its most dangerous users. Now we have a deepfake video.
I’m not screenshotting these as I’m not giving these examples a platform beyond writing about it.
Notes that there are a lot of videos from the chancellor out there that can be deepfaked. You have to be vigilant.
There’s a high cost to implement AI and the IT behind it. We’re studying this through a task force.
Laughter laughy laugh laugh.
Kathryn Long, Student Government Association Rep, says she uses AI in her research. Yay AI. One baby step closer to Skynet.
Adjourned.
Athletics Committee (aka the reason you clicked this link)
Jonathan Reeder with intercollegiate athletics survey. Required by UNC System.
Sources of athletics operating revenue. 42% student fees/ government support (gambling revenue disbursements). 23% from fundraising. 18% from football game day. Reeder says that 18% is better than most Group of 5 peers.
App is 20% above Sun Belt’s average self-generated revenue.
Expenses. 41% to salaries and benefits is close to average with Sun Belt and NCAA FBS.
The average annual athletics budget has been between 5-6%, in line with the Sun Belt average. As said in the finance committee, this year is up 20%.
Are we fully funding scholarships? Pre-House settlement, yes. Post-House settlement? Different analysis for later.
Steven Wyatt’s on a heater. If JMU has a bigger athletics budget, does that mean they’re paying people more or more scholarships? Reeder says we can look at their data when it becomes public.
Gillin on JMU: One thing I might add is their facilities are amazing. They’re crushing us in facilities. Our football facility is nicer, but they just built an $80 million basketball facility. Their baseball facility and softball facility…really good.
One trustee notes his tax money is going to JMU’s facilities, noting their reliance on student fees.
Where can we gain revenue in the next few years? Gillin says we’re getting $2.3 million in gambling money. Says 10 years ago, student/other government support was 54%, now 42%. Says student fees need to grow.
Fundraising is gonna be aggressive. $14 million was goal, $7 in Yosef, $5-$6 million in major gifts. Off to a really good start. Says the East Side facility will add more premium seats. Says the schedule in the next four years is amazing. New money coming in from new people and new gifts, Gillin confirmed.
Gillin: I do think if we look at App State in the next 10 years, and I’m going to make a bold statement, but if we’re at $50 million now, in 10 years we need to be at $100 million.
Gillin says a capital campaign will be huge for athletics. Says he wants to get to $75 million in the next 5 years, then $100 million in the 5 after that.
Gillin says we’ve never been in the red, never spent more than they have.
Now after hijacking Reeder’s presentation, Gillin has his own time.
GPA promoted. Tommy Sofield asks how we stack up with other schools. Don’t have that data, but says no one else in the Sun Belt is promoting that.
We’re trying in Hickory. Getting out there. Get more faculty and staff engaged. Notes UREC uses Kidd Brewer to use rec programs at night (they should always have access IMO).
4,000 people have opted in for a ticket for Battle at the Rock. Anticipates 5k to 10k. Charging $20 to park, all going to the Football Support fund. There’s going to be free hot dogs.
Darryl Robinson’s jersey retirement was one of the best events Gillin has been part of. Says Robinson and Bobby Cremins called the next day to rave about it.
Looper of Hickory won the bid for the new Sofield full-field indoor facility. Going through docs right now. Things coming down in April. Gillin says this will be a game-changer. Having meetings for physical therapy clinic tenants. Close on mobile MRI unit. Says now, we have to go to Winston or Hickory to get an MRI for athletes.
Track teams have locker rooms for the first time in App State history. Women’s Tennis also has a locker room for the first time. They don’t have to carry rackets to class now.
Separate MBB and WBB offices started this past Monday. Big deal. Finally happening.
Extend baseball facility down to foul poll, new hitting facility. Money is raised for it. Pledges upward of a million. Takes a bite out of that $10 million to revamp Smith Stadium.
Baseball brunch started 4 years ago with 50 people and now has 275 people.
KBS East Stands. Gillin says the bones underneath are falling apart. Either lipstick or really rebuild it. Getting donations every day.
East Tower is changing somewhat. From three levels to two levels, adding some club-level seats on the concourse. Changing the pitch of seats (i.e. how steep they are). Gotta fix the concrete. Says fixes on East Side is throwing away good money. Salt goes in and ruins it.
Miller Hill has plans to make it safer. Gillin swears he doesn’t want to take the fun away, but says it’s dangerous. “Terrace” and “aisles.” Says it’s hard for security to get in there. Not safe. Wants to make sure students want to be there. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Going over House Settlement scholarship limit changes. Gonna have to find sweet spots in some sports, like baseball.
Says JMU facilities are “the gold standard in our league.” Says Track, Tennis and Softball at App 105 will be as good as there is.
Soft launch of announcing new multimedia rights partner, Playfly. $500k better next fiscal year.
Nike’s deal is higher than before. Gillin says Nike is the best. (note to self, public records request that)
Here are all these revenue-generating opportunities coming up. Mentions Softball Leadoff Dinner sold out, compliments new coach Whitney. Says the record isn’t where we want to be, but notes we’re in a game with top teams in the country.
Football schedule. Likes 3 of the last 4 at home. Two Saturday home games in October.
Mentions wrestling program losing guys to P5 teams and injury. Complements Return on Investment on Wrestling.
Closed session, then adjourned, so apparently no other action.
Academic Affairs Committee
A presentation about the university libraries by Sue Polanka, dean of university libraries.
We’re counting the Hickory campus library, “designed by students for students.”
Millions more subscriptions and e-books are in the databases.
Lots of bragging about library staff.
$10 borrower card for non-students, which became popular after Helene, with DVD borrows going up big time.
140 terabytes of data for digital scholarships and initiatives, such as 3D scanning and journal publishing.
Special connections on Appalachian Collection, Stock Car Racing Collection and Merlefest Archives. We have the entire Richard Petty collection, which many people don’t know. It’s on the top floor of Belk.
Also showing off an Armed Forces Edition book given to WW2 soldiers. Believe we’re the only library in the world to have a full set, except the Library of Congress.4
1942 Rhododendron (yearbook) was the first known depiction of Yosef.
We now have Yosef’s original rifle from the late 1940s or early 1950s through the 80s, acquired 3 years ago from the family. This is the rifle used at sporting events.
4th floor at the library. Can make an appointment to see.
Merlefest archives were recently acquired. Audio archives of every Merlefest performance. Including the original 1988 program, shown here.
You can press a few buttons on a screen and watch any Merlefest performance.
Belk Library turns 20 this year. New catalog with 12 UNC System schools. Can press a button and have it shipped (like the Cardinal system for public libraries), Says it’s because legacy products are out of date.
New Discovery Service (a library’s Google) with an AI feature.
New Master Building plan for Belk. Currently surveying and holding listening sessions and interior design classes for ideas. Getting data on traffic patterns, chair usage, etc.
One idea is to use biophilic design elements. Students want more signage as students don’t know where things are.
Final designs will be made to the library advisory council. Eventually, hire an architect to implement the best idea.
She mentions inflation is a continual issue as a lot of this is licensed. One comment from people is that they don’t know they’re in the Blue Ridge Mountains while in the library.
Question about handling items with or without gloves for visitors. Yes, we’ll provide you with gloves.
Are your books being banned? “Not yet.” Very thorough collection development policy and challenge policy. Earlier it was mentioned the staff are experts in K-12 books.
What if there’s another Helene? The library has separate HVAC systems so we can maintain temperatures and a thorough alarm system. Generators popped on during Helene. The biggest concern is the roof.
Trustee Bonnie Schaeffer has a signed new copy of a Maya Angelou book she wants to give the library as she won’t let anyone touch it.
Closed session. A few minutes later, back in open session, all promotion and tenure recommendations as presented are approved.
Short presentation on peer groups. Someone jokes about how we get Coastal Carolina kicked off the list. Dang.
Finance and Operations on Friday morning
We start and immediately go into a closed session for talking about real estate and such.
Almost 40 minutes later, we come back mid-sentence.
Transparency and strategic allocation of resources by budgeting all revenue streams. So exciting. It’s a UNC System mandate. Not about money, but about how you handle the money. It’s all about transparency in areas where people in power think there will be waste found, but none in pet projects.
9% increase in revenues year over year.
Most revenue comes from tuition and fees, then state appropriations.
Roughly 70% of expenditures are for academics.
Saved $1.9 million following UNC System policy by eliminating positions and restructurings and putting into student-success initiatives such as mental health, academic advisors, veterans services and more.
Project Kitty Hawk, which is a UNC System online initiative and a calamity so far, has five pathways this year, with more coming next year. Service fees are deferred until it makes a profit. Good luck.
UNC’s Project Kitty Hawk Cleans Up After a CEO’s Departure (The Assembly)
Athletics budget is up 20% this year because of increased enrollment, sports wagering allocations, multi-media rights payments and other reasons, such as Yosef’s Locker.
TK Note: This athletics budget increase is likely to make App State attractive to new conferences because, in the world of the NCAA, you gotta spend money to make money, and then you gotta spend more and have to make more. Or something like that.
New positions for the Office of Research and Innovation because App State is an R2 Carnegie Classification school now. That’s a very big deal academically. And the university got a 7-year, $35 million GEAR UP grant, the largest in school history. Things are happening, even if you don’t realize it because it doesn’t involve helmets and pads.
UNC System says resident tuition rates, which have been frozen for years, could be raised next year if all your money ducks are in a row to Chapel Hill’s liking.
Apparently, the NC General Assembly is extremely interested in a performance funding model for UNC System schools. Hoo boy.
State gave App State $1.5 million in insurance payout for building remediation.
Athletics got a $1.2 million claim payout for the Liberty cancellation. App State AD Doug Gillin previously said athletics got insurance for home games last summer for the first time.
Onto Nick Katers, Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Development, requesting authorization for capital projects. He’s got 10 today!
Fermentation Sciences Renovation in Mountain Laurel (the former sorority dorm), Katers says he wants to configure vendor space back into academic space. Few more offices.
Pave them parking lots! Cover them potholes! Seriously, the salt and brine eat pavement up big time.
Rivers Street and Library (Liberry) parking decks are “middle aged,” Katers says. Expansion joints, defects, etc.
UREC is 20 years old. Damnit I’m old. Massive lighting improvement as some of the current lighting parts can’t be got anymore.
Miller Hill revamps to make it safer. Katers says they’ve looked elsewhere. Looking at stairs, drainage systems and such. Katers references the “frequent issues we’ve had” with Miller Hill. Just say mud sliding Nick. Everyone’s giggling anyway.
Katers says work likely won’t happen this year as we gotta study it very hard. We want that hill to shine before and after the season. Says it’ll be better to tackle once the new indoor practice facility is done (which is likely first quarter of 2026).
Regardless, the Old People will gentrify the Democratic People’s Republic of Miller Hill in the name of capitalism.
TK Note: Yes, the picture used here is at least 7 years old.
The steam vault at Wey Hall is destroyed. Gotta replace it. Risk losing steam power to several buildings. Was this a Helene issue or yet another Wey Hall renovation screw-up? Not said.
Using half a million of donor funds for renovations to Heather’s House.
Yeah, gotta repair those substations flooded by Helene. The pic proves it. New River Light and Power is funding it through FEMA and insurance.
Continual tinkering of Smith Stadium. The new hitting facility is where the bullpen is. Again, no one says where the bullpen is going.
Peacock Hall renovations got more expensive, yet again. This happens like 3 times a year now. The hump gets evermore higher. The UNC Board of Governors has to approve this one. All the others, nope.
Hey, you know that App 105 student housing project idea from like two meetings and 1,000 words ago? That got approved by this committee.
Adjourn.
Big Main Board Meeting
Mark Richs and a big thing of what I hope is sweet tea kick us off.
Right into the closed session, which lasts nearly an hour.
The sweet tea pitcher is still at the same level post-closed session.
Chancellor remarks. It’s word-for-word what is posted on the Chancellor’s website, linked below.
Highlights not previously mentioned are the first class in our Doctor of Nursing Practice program will begin in August 2026. And the Innovation District will come online in August. Gonna save energy dollars and wean the campus off steam a little bit more.
Academic Affairs committee presentation. Athletics Committee with Gillin staring behind. Then Audit Committee. Steven Wyatt, who likes to speak, says the AI report was frightening. Then Finance Committee. Then Student Affairs Committee.
Consent Agenda was approved, so everything discussed and approved over these two days is good to go (Peacock Hall price increase has to go to the UNC System Board of Governors because of its $ amount)
Kathryn Long, Student Government Association Rep, gets to address the board one last time. She’s very bubbly and likable. Says she’s from Northampton County, where only 17% of residents have a bachelor’s degree. She’s tearing up. Says her spirit animal was a butterfly because it changes, but now is kinda afraid of change. I hear ya there.
You know what, screw, watch her speech below. It’s timestamped (1:29:47).
Heather brought gifts!
Ricks notes the difficult challenges over the last year, which I believe he means the chancellor transition, as he says “as well as the hurricane.” Unless he means Gillin being a jerk.
Lots of thanks from Ricks. Leads Happy Birthday for Bonnie Schaeffer by Zoom.
The next App State BOT is Sept. 5. June is the board retreat.
pipedreams 
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