FROM THE OFFICE OF THE DEAN OF STUDENTS: “We invite you to join us today, in Parkway Ballroom (4th floor, Plemmons Student Union) as we deal with the tremendous loss our campus has suffered in the last few weeks and months.”
Thursday, Feb. 5 5 p.m. Parkway Ballroom
The Appalachian Thursday, February 5, 2015
The search for a president Appalachian faculty wonders what the UNC presidency search means for the future
by Laney Ruckstuhl News Editor
The University of North Carolina Board of Governors has not announced when the search for a new system president will begin, though the process is already raising questions and may change. The resignation of current UNC-system president Tom Ross was unexpectedly announced last month during a regular BOG meeting. Ross said during a press conference following the announcement that he wasn’t planning on leaving just yet, but the BOG had a different timeline in mind. According to the resignation statement, Ross will continue to serve until Jan. 3, 2016 while the board begins the search. As is under the UNC Policy Manual, the procedure for the selection of a system president states that the search committee shall consist of 20 individuals, including four system chancellors, three faculty members, four BOG members, one student and eight others. However, the Board of Governors proposed a few possible changes to the search process in a meeting Jan. 24, though none of these proposals will be approved or denied until the BOG votes on the policy. The search is confidential,
File Photo
Tom Ross, president of the Univesity of North Carolina system, addresses the chancellor search committee at a meeting at Appalachian State University in August 2013.
but rumors have arisen of possible candidates. The leading rumor is Art Pope, North Carolina’s former budget director, as noted by The News & Observer and The Daily Tar Heel. Pope is also the state’s largest political donor, a known ally of conservative politicians such as the Koch brothers. On Jan. 20, Pope appeared on Time Warner Cable News’
Capital Tonight and denied that he was planning on running for the presidency, but said if asked, he would consider the position. “I would never flat rule out an opportunity to serve the public,” Pope told Tim Boyum during the interview. According to the policy manuals’ conflict of interest chapter, the BOG will not consider any person who
was a member of the BOG at any time during the twoyear period immediately preceding an appointment to any position. This provision would apply to BOG members who resigned from their posts, such as Fred Eshelman, who resigned June 30, 2014. Eshelman did not give reason for leaving, but could be considered for the presiden-
cy despite the provision if he were to be officially installed on or after June 30, 2016. Eshelman is the CEO of a pharmaceutical company and the primary financial supporter of a conservative 527 political action committee. He is the only member of the BOG to recently retire before his term limit expired,
SEE UNC PAGE 4
Wellness District to expand College of Health Sciences by Thomas Culkin News Reporter
In conjunction with Appalachian State University, the town of Boone has proposed a plan to turn part of the town into a Wellness District, which would improve quality of the area and add two facilities to the College of Health Sciences. The proposed district would consist of all the land between the middle fork of the South Fork New River and U.S. Highway 321 to the north and south as well as the Watauga Medical Center and Winkler Creek to the east and west. The total area is roughly 101 acres. There is currently no timeframe for
when construction on the district will begin. However, Carole Acquesta, director of Design and Construction at Appalachian, said construction could begin by late 2015 if the project gets fully funded. It is expected to take roughly two years to complete. According to the proposal, the plan’s intention is to create a more urban, pedestrian-friendly environment with a concentration on creating academic, wellness, residential, support and commercial buildings. To make the land more pedestrianfriendly, Bill Bailey, the director of Boone Planning and Inspections department, said renovations such as clearly delineated bicycle lanes and crosswalks of stamped asphalt and
concrete, rather than standard asphalt and larger sidewalks, will be implemented. “We want to create an atmosphere where people actually want to walk from place to place,” Bailey said. A key component of the plan is the addition of two buildings that will be a part of Appalachian’s College of Health Sciences, including a proposed office building. “You’ll see doctors’ offices in substandard buildings move into this nice new hi-tech building,” Bailey said. When the doctors move into the office building, Bailey said, the vacant lots created will become targets for developers looking to purchase land,
which would greatly benefit the town. The other building will be an academic building of classrooms and labs. The complex would consolidate all of the departments within the College of Health Sciences into a single building. Acquesta said putting all the departments together could be beneficial to both the students and faculty. “I believe it helps the students to access the facilities and the faculty as well more easily facilitate their learning,” Acquesta said. “It would also be close to the hospital, which would provide opportunities for collaboration.”
SEE WELLNESS PAGE 3