Tuition increase debate heads to BOT docket

Administration, SGA to present seperate proposals to board of trustees Friday

John T. Bennett - Associate Editor

Students at Appalachian State University could see tuition jump $300 over the next two years if the board of trustees approves an administration proposal.

If the board approves the plan Friday, it will move on to the docket of the University of North Carolina system board of governors (BOG) for final approval.

According to Dr. Gregory Blimling, associate vice chancellor for student development, the total amount of the proposed increase would be divided into separate $150 increases during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 academic years.

The $300 figure is down from a proposal drafted earlier this semester by Appalachian State officials that called for a $400 tuition-hike over the next two years.

Along with a lesser total-increase amount, the new proposal differs from the former $400 increase plan in that there is no provision for monies generated by the tuition hike to be allotted to campus technology infrastructure improvements.

Appalachian State received $4.8 million for projects aimed at updating the infrastructure earlier this month when voters approved a $3.1 billion higher education bond referendum.

According to Blimling, the funds generated by the proposed tuition-hike would be divided into two parts, with 60 percent being allocated for faculty salaries increases and the remaining 40 percent being set aside for students who qualify for need-based financial aid.

Blimling told the Student Government Association (SGA) Tuesday evening that the administration feels the new increase proposal is reasonable and will allow the institution to remain competitive with other members of the University of North Carolina (UNC) system in the area of faculty pay.

The change from a $400 hike to a $300 increase comes just weeks after officials at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro approved an identical tuition increase plan as the one Chancellor Francis T. Borkowski will present to the board of trustees (BOT) Friday.

Blimling told SGA that Borkowski received pressure from several BOG members to come forward with a greater tuition-hike proposal.

"The chancellor had another series of conversations with other members of the board of governors who suggested that if Appalachian were to go up $150, it wasn''t enough," Blimling said.

"They encouraged (Borkowski) to go up ... $500 over two years."

According to Blimling, the BOG members suggestion of such a hefty hike was brought on by concerns that the North Carolina General Assembly would be operating under a budget shortfall for the next two years, leaving it financially unable to allocate funds to UNC-system institutions.

Despite the lobbying of those BOG members, Blimling said Borkowski has remained unflappable in his resolve to abide by a pledge he made to students.

"(Borkowski) believes that he made a commitment to the students not to go up more than $150 next year and he is going to keep that commitment," Blimling said.

While the fate of the administration's proposal rests in the hands of BOT members, SGA unanimously passed its own tuition increase proposal Tuesday evening that painted a bit of a different picture.

By approving the piece of legislation, the senate also proposed a $300 tuition-increase plan that would have students pay $150 more each of the next two academic years.

While the total amount of the SGA proposal mirrors the administration plan, the senate bill features one shining difference.

Under its proposal, SGA would put a three-year freeze on campus-initiated tuition increases after the $300 hike is fully implemented.

SGA President Ryan Bolick will present the student-drafted proposal to the board of trustees Friday morning.

Bolick said he is unsure if he will be successful in garnering support from BOT members in his attempt to make the three-year freeze part of the proposal the body will vote on Friday.

Bolick, a voting member of the board of trustees, said he is still unsure how he will vote Friday in regards to the administration's tuition-increase proposal, and would not make his decision until after a strategy meeting with the SGA cabinet.

Bolick said that while his vote is still in limbo, he has reason to believe students are not opposed to a tuition hike aimed at keeping faculty salaries at a comparable level with other UNC-system schools.

"As we've seen from the poll we got from the student body ... and the vote we had (during the SGA meeting), students don't mind paying more for better teachers," Bolick said.

A campus under siege

Construction becoming part of everyday life at ASU

Catherine Quill - Business Affairs Beat

With orange cones and safety fences dominating the landscape of the Appalachian State University campus this year, construction projects seem as normal to students' lives as exams and papers.

But as the semester draws to an end, most of the construction projects will continue into the new year.

PLEMMONS STUDENT UNION RENOVATIONS

Work on Plemmons Student Union will include the remodeling of Alpine Lounge, a new volunteer outreach center, an enlarged Peer Career Center, offices for the Black Student Association (BSA) and Club Council, and large meeting rooms to replace the old bowling alley.

"It's all one project," said Director of Student Programs Dave Robertson.

According to Robertson, the contractor has started setting up his office.

"We sense that they'll probably start next Monday," he said.

Robertson said the construction will take 180 days, and because the work is all interior, there will be no time extensions due to severe weather.

"If they stay on schedule, that means the end of May. There's every reason to assume that they will finish in that amount of time," said Robertson.

Robertson added these renovations are unique because they did not require an increase in student union fees. Money to fund the project will be taken from the reserve, money the student union has saved and put aside.

Clyde Robbins, director of Design and Construction, said problems with getting the contracts and bid bonds in the proper format caused the delays in the start of the project.

GEORGE M. HOLMES CONVOCATION CENTER

Although the George M. Holmes Convocation Center was ready in time for the Nov. 17 Appalachian State University versus the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill basketball game, there are still items that need further attention.

According to Robbins, a "fairly extensive" punchlist still remains to be completed, with items ranging from replacing the wooden handrails with permanent handrails to adding electrical additions.

"We are not totally satisfied with the roof at this time," Robbins added.

Robbins also said that bad weather will cause delays with the landscaping.

"We're working hard to find out if we will move the Health, Leisure and Exercise Science (HLES) department at the end of the semester," said Robbins.

He expects final completion of the Holmes Center to be in about 90 days.

UTILITY RELOCATION NEAR THE BOOKSTORE

One of the most noticeable construction projects of the semester, the utility relocation has caused a handicapped ramp and a section in front of the bookstore to be blocked off by a fence.

After the completion of this project, the bookstore will be expanded, with a bid for the construction expected to take place in April.

According to Robbins, the utility relocation is about 50 percent complete and should be finished in about 90 days.

LIVING-LEARNING CENTER

Construction on the new residence hall started this summer at the site of the chancellor's old residence.

The Living Learning Center will have 320 beds and house Watauga College students and possibly international students.

Plans include a courtyard, a dining facility and a common gathering area to also be constructed. "The contractor estimates it is ahead of schedule," said Robbins.

Currently, the academic portion of the residence hall is being designed, and that design must be approved by the state.

"Right now, it's forecasted to be complete in the late spring or early summer of 2002," said Robbins.

RIVERS STREET PARKING DECK

After the delays caused by the failure of architects to attain the necessary permit, the parking deck project has only recently started.

Robbins said so far, no major problems have arisen with the construction.

"The clearing and grading will start shortly," he said.

The parking deck will have about 720 parking spaces for visitors, students, faculty and staff and house the campus police and parking and traffic departments.

With good weather, he expects the project to be completed in about 400 days.

NEW CHANCELLOR'S RESIDENCE

Robbins estimates the new building on Bodenheimer Drive is about 30 percent complete. The building will serve as the chancellor's residence and as a public entertainment center.

Downstairs windows have been installed and the roof is now complete. The completion date will not be until sometime close to the fall semester of 2001.

"Right now, it looks like late summer or early fall of next year," said Robbins.

Mountaineers avenge loss to Troy State, advance in playoffs

Burchette, Watkins lead Appalachian victory; second-round clash with W.Kentucky Sat.

ASU Sports Information

Jimmy Watkins scored twice and Joe Burchette threw two touchdown passes to lead the 13th-seeded Appalachian State University Mountaineers to a 33-30 win over fourth-seeded Troy State University in the first round of the I-AA Football Championship Saturday at Richard Scrushy Field.

The Mountaineers (9-3) advance to take on Western Kentucky University (WKU) next week as fifth-seeded WKU defeated Florida A&M University 27-0.

Troy State finishes the year 9-3.

Troy jumped on top without the offense seeing the field when Heyward Skipper returned an ASU punt 81 yards for a score just two minutes in.

The Trojan punt-team helped out the Mountaineers on the next drive when a bad snap gave ASU the ball on the Troy 3-yard line. Three plays later, Burchette hit Troy Albea from 6 yards out to tie the game at seven.

On their next drive, the Mountaineers ran five minutes off the clock and covered 85 yards in 12 plays ,with Watkins running it in from 2 yards out for a 13-7 lead.

Erik Rockhold's extra point was blocked and returned all the way by Troy, but an illegal block penalty nullified the two points.

After Reco Washington forced a Skipper fumble on a punt return, ASU took over on the TSU 18-yard line. Burchette took it in himself from the 11-yard line to cap a three-play, 1:45-minute drive. Burchette's two-point conversion was intercepted in the end zone by Chris Archie and returned 102 yards for two points, making the score 19-9 with 7:48 left in the half.

The score remained 19-9 at the half with the Mountaineers maintaining a huge statistical advantage, leading in total yards -- 200 to 21 -- and holding the ball for 20:54 of the first 30 minutes.

ASU was the beneficiary of another Troy turnover when they recovered a fumble at the Trojan 30-yard line. Watkins scored from 12-yards out on the second play of the drive for a 26-9 Appalachian lead with 7:12 left in the third quarter.

Troy cut the lead to 26-16 on Brock Nutter's 4-yard pass to David Hill with 12:30 remaining in the game. The comeback continued when Nutter hit Buttone from 2 yards out with 5:50 left for a 26-23 lead.

Burchette put it out of reach on the next possession when he hit Jose White on a 34-yard touchdown with 3:10 left.

Troy accounted for the final margin on Nutter's third scoring strike of the game, a 38-yarder to Jonathan Carter with 1:47 left. TroyÕs onside kick attempt failed and the Mountaineers ran out the clock.

Burchette registered career highs for attempts (41) and completions (27) while throwing for 237 yards and two scores.

Rashad Slade caught seven passes for 80 yards to become ASU's all-time leader in playoff receptions with 21.

Josh Jeffries led the defensive charge with two sacks and a forced fumble.

Sarah Sparks - Police Beat

Despite recent evidence that drinking is not as large a problem at Appalachian State University as many people believe, the members of the Watauga Initiative to Reduce Underage Drinking (WIRUD) feel that they have an important job to undertake.

The 10 board members are planning to take full advantage of a grant recently acquired with the help of the Alcohol and Drug Council of Watauga County (ADCWC).

The grant will support the activities of the coalition until February 2000.

The WIRUD board members are Julia Adams of ADCWC, Ken Boaz of Three Forks Baptist Association, Joe Buchanan of the Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE), Major Larry Foster of the Appalachian Police Department, Major Bob Kennedy of the Boone Police Department, Dale Kirkley of the Wellness Center, Anna Boyce Phillips of ADCWC, and Val Shelton of Watauga Youth Network.

Also on the board are Coordinator Holly Robinson and Assistant Ellen Elliott. Robinson said that the group is currently working on a number of projects.

One main focus is the organization of a youth coalition, possibly supported by students from the university working together with students from Watauga High School.

There is an ongoing competition at the high school for a billboard design that promotes good health, specifically a healthy lifestyle that doesn't include alcohol use, said Robinson.

The prizes for the winners of the competition were donated by Gap, Old Navy, Pizza Hut, Appalachian Ski Mountain and other organizations that target young consumers.

The contest has been extended an extra month to provide time for all entries to be completed.

Another project that the coalition is interested in supporting is the President's Convocation in April. Concerned individuals from the campus and other campuses will be invited to attend and will have the opportunity to apply for a grant, said Kirkley.

The Boone Police Department has been involved in the Secret Shoppers program that is enforcing laws concerning legal drinking age.

The secret shopper is an underage individual that enters randomly selected alcohol distributors in an attempt to purchase alcohol without proper ID.

The recent trial in 40 stores proved to be very encouraging because only 2 of the stores sold to the underage buyer, said Kennedy. The Watauga Initiative to Reduce Underage Drinking supports the Secret Shopper effort because of the programs willingness to work with the stores towards education, said Robinson.

The stores that do their job and do not sell to the underage consumer are rewarded with buttons and T-shirts that say "I Survived the Secret Shopper."

This is a way to make members of the community aware of which stores are selling alcohol responsibly, said Kennedy. The stores that do sell to the Secret Shopper are not punished immediately, but rather, are educated about legality and possible consequences. These stores are then retested at a later date to see if the clerks have been properly trained, said Kennedy.

A main concern for the Watauga Initiative is the lack of positive role models in young people's lives. The board constantly reiterates that parents are the most important role model in any child's life and they must therefore be a positive role model, said Robinson.

Elliot recently attended a conference in Reno where much focus was placed on educational videos.

Georgia Governor Roy E. Barnes commissioned the production of a video on alcohol problems in young people.

Elliot returned to Boone with a copy of the video, which the coalition is now considering using as an educational tool for parents and young people alike.

The video provides facts that discourage underage drinking, such as the fact that drinking before the age of 15 increases the chance of becoming an alcoholic by four times.

The Watauga Initiative to Reduce Underage Drinking is looking for more support from the students at Appalachian, especially in accordance with the new youth coalition, said Robinson.

Any interested students should contact Robinson at 263-0480.

Robyn Dailey - Chancellor/Advancement Beat

Appalachian State University is in the process of opening an extended campus and learning center in the Hickory area.

The center would serve Catawba, Alexander, Burke, and Caldwell counties, which are all considered part of the greater Hickory, or Unifour, area.

"For the past two years we've been exploring the potential for a learning center in the Hickory area," said Robert L. Schaffer, associate vice chancellor for Public Affairs.

Schaffer said that there is an unmet demand for degree and certificate programs and continuing or lifelong learning courses in that area.

The center would offer degree programs that are in high demand in the Unifour area. It would give students who are unable to leave the area for various reasons the chance to obtain a university degree, according to Schaffer.

"It would be ... a learning center that is a distinct facility of some kind," said Schaffer. "People want to identify as being part of a specific institution."

He said that people would prefer to obtain a "branded" Appalachian State degree than a nondescript one from a community college. It is still up in the air as to which degrees will be offered.

They will look at the needs of the area and then decide. There are some programs that Appalachian doesn't offer, so they will call schools that have those programs and ask them to come and offer them at the center.

Dr. R. Clinton Parker, senior associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, said that they are currently still in the exploration process with no details available, but that it is a very important endeavor that the administration at Appalachian is embarking on.

"We're exploring possible locations and it's safe to say that we're looking at a number of different sites," said Parker.

"We thought we had a building months ago. Someone had told us of a conference facility out on Lake Hickory that was for sale and we looked into it but it had already been sold by the time we got around to it," he said.

According to Parker, the university will probably have to build a new building because of the lack of places suitable for the needs presented.

"In my opinion, the ideal place for that would be somewhere along that I-40, 321 corner," said Parker.

He said that the Unifour corner would be the most accessible because it joins with both I-40, which goes east and west, and 321, which runs north and south. This would allow the most students possible easy access to the center.

"Right now they are under-served and they're taxpayers just like other people in the state," said Parker.

Catawba Valley Community College is overcrowded so there will be no room for the Appalachian Learning Center on campus. Therefore, it probably will not be associated with a community college.

He said, "We're looking at something in the neighborhood of eight classrooms each holding about 30 students."

According to Parker, it will probably be a couple of years until the learning center will be up and running.

"Our strategy was, we wanted to wait until the bond package has been done and we can take a deep breath and now go back to giving some of our energy and attention to a Hickory center," said Parker.

There will be a strong effort to tie the students from the learning center into the Appalachian campus.

They will be given tickets to games, student identification cards, and access to the library and other resources.

The students will complete the first two years of school at a community college and then enroll in the learning center for their junior and senior years.

Parker said, "What's very critical to us in all of this is that our students who are students away from campus is to make absolutely certain they get the same quality of education that our on-campus students get and they get the same services provided them. So that in every respect, they're Appalachian students."

Professors will meet all of the university's criteria and either come from the surrounding area or be shipped from the Boone campus.

"It's going to be difficult to do, but we're committed to do it. If we are to succeed in this, we're going to make certain that the degree is worth every bit that an on-campus degree is worth," said Parker.

Ai Lin Loh - Contributing Writer

The office of admissions recruits thousands of students each year. Ninety-seven percent of the students are white. For many students, for those who have not grown up in this area, this can be a culture shock.

The major problem with recruiting minorities lies in the small numbers that are already here, a common opinion among the administration.

A study was done about how students like to spend their free time. A very high percentage of whites said they like to participate in the outdoor activities that Appalachian is known for and most African Americans strive for indoor types of activities, according to Dr. Gregory Blimling, vice chancellor for student development.

"I think everything started to change as far as awareness when the chancellor appointed a diversity task force in 1992," said Harry Williams, the former minority recruiter for 12 years.

"We probably have one of the most diverse admissions staffs in the state, in terms of race and gender."

There are minority scholarships available to students funded by the university endowment, New River Light and Power Company and the Appalachian State University Bookstore, according to Brian Williams, assistant director of admissions.

"We're doing everything we can to increase diversity on campus ... we really push internship programs that get students out of the area and into areas that are more diverse," said Joe Watts, director of admissions.

Watts said that within their budget, they are doing a good job in trying to recruit more students. He thinks more money would especially help with students who have lower socio-economic situations.

To increase diversity, there is a phone-a-thon where African American or Hispanic students will call prospective students and ask them if there are any questions they might have regarding minority issues.

Reggie Hunt, current minority recruiter for Admissions and an Appalachian alumnus, thinks there are three key solutions to increasing diversity on campus.

First, students have to tell others about Appalachian State. Second, the university has to continue to make a commitment and third, since Appalachian is growing so fast, the minority will continue to grow.

Tracey Wright, the director of multicultural development, suggested that recruiters ask guidance counselors for a list of minority students that are making the academic scores necessary for acceptance.

Then they can visit the students or give them a call and tell them about the support Appalachian offers in that area.

One project the office of admissions and the office of multicultural development works on together is Multicultural Prospective Student Weekend. The admissions office sends out invitations to multicultural students and the multicultural office finds hosts for the weekend.

Wright and Hunt believe that prospective students need to be more informed of the support that is offered by the university.

Some of the support offered by the Multicultural Center includes programs like the diversity series and peer mentor, where upper-class African American students are paired up with freshmen. Next year the program will be opened up to other under-represented minorities.

The administrators feel that there is not much outward discrimination to minorities. The multicultural office receives a few complaints each semester, according to Wright.

When a student feels they have been disadvantaged because of his or her race, the multicultural office will act as a mediator between the two parties, and if further action is called for, the student will be directed to other sources, like the equity office.

Also, there are organizations geared toward minorities, such as the Black Student Association, the Hispanic Student Association, and the Asian Student Association.

The Native-American Council is currently inactive.

"I think that the general viewpoint of our campus is that admissions is not doing enough ... We as an entire campus are not doing enough.

"It should not just the responsibility of the under-represented groups," said Wright.

The admissions office is open to any new recruitment ideas to help improve diversity.