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Appalachian State University

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Appalachian State University is a public, comprehensive university located in Boone, North Carolina and the sixth-largest institution in the University of North Carolina system. Appalachian (pronounced app-uh-LATCH-an) State is sometimes referred to as ASU, AppState, or simply "App". The University has been ranked among the top 15 Southern colleges and universities since the U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Colleges Guide began publication in 1986. In 2001, the University was recognized by TIME Magazine as a College of the Year.

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Organization

A Board of Directors elected by the University of North Carolina's Board of Governors establishes broad, university policy but delegates daily operation of Appalchian State to a chancellor. The Chancellor likewise delegates some duties to several vice-chancellors, as approved by the Directors, in a cabinet-like organization, or other administrative offices of the Chancellor. These administrative offices are advised by several university committees on the needs of campus constituents, as represented by a Faculty Senate, Staff Council and Student Government Association.

Academic

The University is comprised of five colleges: Arts & Sciences, Fine Arts & Applied Sciences, Business, Music, and Education. These colleges offer 91 undergraduate and 81 graduate courses of study. The Goodnight Family Sustainable Development Program (SD) is an interdisciplinary course of study unique to Appalachian State.





Publications

The University publishes or holds copyrights to several periodicals, including:

The University's faculty contribute to a variety of peer reviewed journals as listed by the [Belk Library's] [faculty publications database], and members of its Department of Physics and Astronomy serve as editors for the nationally distinguished journal [The Physics Teacher].

Centers and Institutes

The University houses several academic centers and institutes related to its mission. These include:

Campus

Located in the mountains of northwestern North Carolina, Appalachian State University has the highest elevation of any university in the United States east of the Mississippi River, at an elevation of 3333 feet above sea level. The University's main campus is in downtown Boone, a town that supports a population of 14,900, compared to a total ASU enrollment of 14,653 students (2005-2006). The campus encompasses 340 acres (1.4 km²), including a main campus of 250 acres (1 km²) with 17 residence halls, 3 dining facilities, and 15 academic buildings.

The center of campus is generally considered to be Sanford Mall, a open grass area between the student union, dining halls, and library; students play amateur sports on the Mall, read on benches on its edges, or use the area for free speech. River Street, a thoroughfare for town and University traffic, essentially divides the campus into east and west, where Sanford Mall, the student union, most dining halls and the library, along with several residence halls, are on the East side while the West side has another dining hall, the student recreation center, a dedicated fitness center and the remaining residence halls. These so-called east-west sides of campus are connected by two underground tunnels and several crosswalks (and one skywalk or bridge to be completed soon).

The [Carol Grotnes Belk Library & Information Commons], commonly referred to as Belk Library, opened in a five story building September 2005. The Belk Library features computer stations and study tables on every floor, wireless computer access on all floors, group study rooms, conference and viewing rooms, and lockers available for checkout. The Library holds varying collections, including the University's archives, an Instructional Materials Center for teachers, and the Appalachian Collection for regional studies. Besides serving University patrons, the Library also serves as a public library for the local community, although circulation is available only to registered patrons.

The [Turchin Center for the Visual Arts], located on the edge of main campus and expanded in the spring of 2005, is the University's visual art center. The Turchin Center is largest visual arts center in northwestern North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia; it displays rotating exhibits indoors and outdoors, some exhibits being culturally specific to the Appalachians, and offers community outreach programs through art courses.

Student Life

The hub of student life, especially for on-campus students, is the Plemmons Student Union, located near the center of campus. The student union features a solarium with tables for studying or eating, two coffee shops, a cafe adjacent to an atrium with study spaces, a computer lab with study rooms, and several rooms reserved for conferences and meetings. Offices of several student affair programs are housed in the Union, such as the Student Government Association, The Appalachian -- the student edited newspaper, Judicial Affairs, and outreach programs. The Union also includes amenities such as a game room and fitness center.

Total enrollment as of 2006 is 14,653, including distance-learning programs. Freshman enrollment is 2,543 with an average SAT of 1130. The student-to-faculty ratio is on average 19-to-1.

Athletics

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Appalachian's sports teams are nicknamed the Mountaineers and the university operates 20 intercollegiate athletics programs which compete in the Southern Conference NCAA Division I-A or I-AA, such as football.

Appalachian State won the NCAA Division I-AA national football championship over the University of Northern Iowa 21-16 on December 16, 2005. It is the first National Championship for Appalachian State in any team sport; and the first National Championship in football for any North Carolina university or college.

Events & News

[An Appalachian Summer Festival], hosted by Appalachian State University, has been named one of the "Top 20 Events in the Southeast" by the Southeast Tourism Society for more than a decade.

In 2004, a committee for the Appalachian Family Caravan tour created a promotional video titled "Hot Hot Hot," shown throughout the area by Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock. The video became an inadvertent internet phenomenon and was featured on VH1’s Web Junk 20 program in early 2006. [link] The video is no longer used by the University. [link]

In 2001, MTV's program Road Rules visited ASU to produce an episode called Campus Crawl, aired on-campus during an annual, winter student swimming event called the "polar plung".

History

Appalachian State University began in the summer of 1899 when a group of citizens of Watauga County, NC, under the leadership of D.D. Dougherty and B.B. Dougherty, began a movement to establish a good school in Boone, NC. Land was donated by D.B. Dougherty, father of the leaders in the enterprise, and by Mr. J.F. Hardin. On this site a wood frame building was erected by contributions from other citizens of Boone and Watauga County.
B.B. and D.D. Dougherty
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B.B. and D.D. Dougherty

In the fall of 1899 Mr. Dauphin D. Dougherty and Blanford B. Dougherty, acting as co-principals, began the school which was named Watauga Academy. These co-principals operated for four years until the school was made a state institution. 


In 1903, after interest in the school had spread to the adjoining counties, Hon. W.C. Newland of Caldwell County introduced a bill in the North Carolina House of the General Assembly to make this a state school, with an appropriation for maintenance and for building. The measure was adopted and passed to the Senate. Captain E.F. Lovill of Watauga, R.B. White of Franklin County, Clyde Hoey of Cleveland County, E. J. Justice of McDowell County spoke in favor of the measure. On March 9th, 1903, the bill became law, and the Appalachian Training School for Teachers was established. 


The new trustees met in June 1903 and elected Mr. B.B. Dougherty, Superintendent and D.D. Dougherty, Principal. For twenty-two years there was a period of steady growth, academic development, and valuable service to the State. In 1925, the Legislature changed the name to the Appalachian State Normal School and appropriated additional funding for maintenance and permanent improvement. Superintendent B.B. Dougherty was elected President, and Principal D.D. Dougherty was elected Business Manager and Treasurer. Four years later, in 1929, the Legislature again changed the name to Appalachian State Teachers College, increased the appropriation for the maintenance and authorized the College to confer “such degrees as are usually conferred by American Colleges.” 


Appalachian State Teachers College Seal

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Appalachian State Teachers College Seal





The college property had reached a value of more than $2,000,000. Dr. B.B. Dougherty was continued as President. Professor D.D. Dougherty was continued as Business Manager and Treasurer, but he did not enjoy the larger institution for long. He died June 10th, 1929, the very first day of registration for the new college. 


In 1930, the first four year class was graduated. That year 158 young men and young women were graduated in June and approximately 80 more graduated at the August Commencement. ()


In 1948 a Graduate School was formed. Enrollment was up to 1,100 students, including 23 graduate students, with 65 faculty. President B.B Dougherty retired after 56 years of serving the school in 1955. Dr. J.D. Rankin became interim president until Dr. William H. Plemmons was installed. 


Appalachian offered programs in areas other than teaching in 1965. This change led to a more appropriate name for the school in 1967, Appalachian State University. Afterwards, three degree granting undergraduate colleges were created: Arts and Sciences, Fine and Applied Arts, and Education. In 1972 ASU became part of UNC system.



Notable alumni



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