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THE APPALACHIAN TheAppalachianOnline.com
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Tuition proposed to increase 6.5 percent by KELLI STRAKA News Reporter
Chancellor Kenneth Peacock will ask for a 6.5 percent tuition increase, but the decision to increase tuition for 2013-14 year has not been made, said Greg Lovins, interim vice chancellor for business affairs. “The Chancellor, nor anyone else in University administration, wants to increase tuition and fees,” Lovins said. Significant budget reductions experienced since 2008 gave rise to concern about maintaining “the excellent, high-quality education for which Appalachian is known,” Lovins said. “Revenues from a tuition increase should help Appalachian retain and recruit excellent faculty and offset some of the budget reductions experienced in the last four years,” he said. The Tuition Committee will meet later this month with the hope of making a recommendation by the end of the month. The Fee Committee also begins meeting this month, but their recommendation may not be finalized until early November, Lovins said. “We don’t yet know exactly how much tuition will be increased or specifically how it will be used,” Lovins said. The tuition increases have been critical to help offset some of the effects of the budget reductions from the state, said Tim Burwell, vice provost for resource management and chair of the Tuition Committee. “We do not like the notion of increasing tuition, but we have to be concerned about maintaining the quality of the educational experience we provide to our students,” Burwell said. The Tuition Committee is not a decision-making body. However, they will make a recommendation to the Chancellor, who will then recommend tuition costs and uses to the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees. The Fee Committee has the same responsibility for fee levels, including general fees—like student activity fees, educational and technology fees, health services fees and the athletics fee— and the application fee. The BOT will consider and vote on tuition and fee proposals at the December board meeting, then forward Appalachian’s proposal to the UNC Board of Governors, who will vote on tuition and general fees at its February meeting. The BOT and BOG aren’t required to vote on fees such as housing, food services, textbook rental and transportation, although Appalachian has included those fees in its proposal in the spirit of transparency, Lovins said. The Committees’ tuition and fee proposals will be presented to the Student Government Association in November for information and feedback. The Tuition Committee will have their first meeting Oct 24.
Vol. 87, No. 14
Students elect to vote early on campus by STEPHANIE SANSOUCY
Senior News Reporter
by CHELSEY FISHER News Editor
E
arly voting on campus started Monday at 10 a.m. Early voting in Watagua County started Oct. 18 and will be held in the Watauga County Courthouse. So far, 3,783 people have voted this election. Of them, 717 people have used on-campus voting. The number of voters so far has been higher than the same date in 2008, but no percentages were released as of press time. Roy Carter is currently running for U.S. Senate and represents five counties in Western North Carolina. He ran for U.S. House in 2008 and said this year’s early voter turnout has been larger than 2008 so far in Watauga and Ashe counties. “I think early voting on campus is tremendous,” Carter said. “It builds enthusiasm and gives students a chance to get involved.” Ron Henries is a professor in Reich College of Education and is running for the Board of Education in Watauga County. “Early voting gives people more time to vote,”
3,783 people have already 717 voted people early
Source: NC Watagua Board of Education Elections
have already voted on campus
Malik Rahili | The Appalachian
Henries said. “It also makes voting as convenient as possible.” Early voter and senior business major Thomas May said he was voting early in order to “avoid the
Courtney Roskos | The Appalachian
Students line up outside the Blue Ridge Ballroom in the Plemmons Student Union for early voting Monday afternoon.
crowd” and do his part by exercising his right to vote. Senior cellular molecular biology major David Nielsen said he chose to vote early “to get it out of the way.
“Since I’ve already made the decision,” Nielsen said. Early voting will be available on campus weekdays until Nov. 2. Polls will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Price Lake Room of the
Plemmons Student Union. Polls will be open on the first floor of the courthouse 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays until Nov. 2. This location will also be open Nov. 3 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
University ‘revision’ continues to increase growth by KATELYN BYNG
Intern News Reporter
It’s been two years since the university’s 20/20 master plan was updated, and since then six buildings have been added. These buildings include: Reich College of Education, George G. Beasley Media Complex, Mountaineer Hall, Summit Hall, the Plemmons Student Union Addition and the Summit Hall Annex, said Physical Plant Director Mike O’Connor. The university’s master plan’s goal is to “quantify new facility needs and potential areas those needs could be sited on university property,” O’Connor said. The university master plan is revised every 10 to 15 years, he said. The plan was last revised in 2010. “It’s like a book, and it says ‘Here’s what we think we need as the university grows,’ and it says ‘If you grow by this much, this is
where you could potentially put a building to support that growth,’” O’Connor said. O’Connor said some standard design guidelines have been developed to ensure what is being built is in harmony with the school’s sustainability goals, current exterior architecture and the university’s strategic plan. “The plan also identifies sites for future building placements around the campus,” O’Connor said. “The number one academic project is a new site for the College of Health Sciences. Right now the proposed location is the corner of State Farm and Deer Field road out near the hospital, right across from the hospital parking garage.” This is the largest project, costing $8.2 million, O’Connor said. “The plan is feasible, but any buildings requiring state funding are currently on hold, and will be on hold until the legislature act to provide capital construction
Students gather for vigil
money to the University System,” O’Connor said. As a result of the hold on funding, the plan’s progress has slowed down, but is still on time. Most buildings are funded by the state, said Provost of Academic Affairs Lori Gonzalez. Also, when funds are available, Appalachian can receive “repair and renovation” funds from the state. Residence halls are built with money from student fees or receipts, Gonzalez said. Adding to Kidd Brewer stadium is not currently part of the plan, but the plan is always subject to revision, O’Connor said. “We were also fortunate to receive a generous donation from the Schaefers to renovate Farthing Auditorium to be renamed the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts,” O’Connor said. Projects like these are “selffunded,” so they can move forward without direct state appropriations,
Drug-related student arrests higher than last year by JOSHUA FARMER Senior News Reporter
Paul Heckert | The Appalachian
Students gather on Samford Mall Monday night for the LGBT Centers third annual Community Candlight Vigil. Dean of Students J.J. Brown addressed those in attendence on the importance of bringing awarness to bullying and harrasment young people often experince and the high rate of suicide among LGBT youth. A moment of silence was held to remember lives lost due to bullying and harassment.
he said. Rob Richardson is principal of The Lawrence Group, the multidiscipline planning firm assisting with the university’s plan. Richardson said the plan was developed based on ten “guiding principles;” each serving as a “filter” for the decision-making process and basis for the design. “The planning process took about six months,” Richardson said. “The scope of services was defined as ‘a project approach to develop a physical updated master plan that effectively embodies the campus community’s mission by integrating five distinct phases of work through on-site workshop’. The five phases include observations, conceptual plan, precinct studies, design standards and master planning.” The current plan was developed by the Lawrence Group from Davidson, N.C., along with input from the entire town and the university.
The ASU Police Department has recorded an increase in the number of drug-related student arrests from last September to this year, Police Chief Gunther Doerr said. The number from September 2011 to September 2012 has increased by 32 student arrests. By September of this year, 99 students were arrested. Last September, 67 students were arrested . The number of calls from RAs in residence halls is up from 50 to 64 calls, but many incidents occur at traffic stops when an officer
recognizes a foreign Brown said that substance in the vehi- for the most part, if cle, Doerr said. you have drugs in the RAs and Night Stars dorms you’re going to make rounds while on get caught. duty to ensure the safeEven though drugty of the residents. related arrests are highRAs are er, alcohol required to violations “ a c t i v e l y Last September, have not confront increased 67 students students from last were arrested who fail to Doerr and 99 students year, comply with said. were arrested University “I would September of or Housing like to rethis year. policies,” acemphasize cording to that the the Resident police can Assistant position de- only be in so many scription. places at one time,” Kyle Brown, a soph- Doerr said. “Students omore accounting ma- see more, and I encourjor and RA in Lovill age them to reach out Hall said, “[It’s a bad to [ASU Police] if they idea because] it’s ille- see something suspigal.” cious.”
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