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Chancellor's Address cites change, progress

Sherrie Huffman Reporter

Past accomplishments and future plans for faculty and students were the focus of Chancellor Francis Borkowski's annual address to the faculty Aug. 18 in Farthing Auditorium.

Borkowski opened his address with a list of national rankings of colleges in the Southern United States. The annual college edition of U.S. News and World Report ranked Appalachian State University among the top 15 Southern colleges each of the past 10 years, Borkowski said.

Appalachian is currently ranked eighth for "best value" and third for "efficiency," Borkowski said.

Borkowski also announced that $3.4 million was allocated to Appalachian by the University of North Carolina system.

Half of the money will be used for academic reasons, Borkowski said. Over 150 obsolete faculty computers will be replaced, and Belk Library will receive $350,000 towards new books and renovation.

Borkowski discussed future plans for the physical campus. The former baseball field will be a "park-like" entrance to the campus with a small pond, sculptures and a walking path.

The main entrance of ASU will front Blowing Rock Road by the Summer of 1998, Borkowski said. It will enter a realigned River Street that will curve around to John Thomas Hall.

Borkowski also mentioned the Task Force on Student Life has made recommendations on security issues, such as voting on visitation hours for residence halls. Borkowski said that 44 recommendations have been made by the Task Force, and many will be addressed in the upcoming semester.

The Campus Police department is in the process of being reconstructed, according to Borkowski. More emphasis will be put on separating the Traffic Department from the Police Department to increase efficiency in the individual branches.

The latter part of Borkowski's address focused on the positive effects technology will have on our campus and education. The increased use of the Internet and other interactive programs will allow students to take courses in colleges across the country. Borkowski said that students will eventually complete college courses from their homes due to computer technology. Borkowski also said that although the increase in technology is beneficial to education, it will never replace conventional teaching methods.

"Conventional education will thrive so long as it delivers more than a CD-ROM can," Borkowski said.

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