Message from Interim Chancellor Heather Norris

Friday, August 2, 2024

On Saturday, Appalachian State University’s solar vehicle team, Team Sunergy, secured yet another international podium win, placing second in the multi-occupant vehicle category of the 2024 Electrek American Solar Challenge. After becoming one of the few teams to qualify for this grueling, 1,550-mile rally competition, the team crossed the country, racing from Nashville, Tennessee, to Casper, Wyoming, to continue an eight-year streak of podium wins in this event — and surpassing the performance of teams with well-known engineering programs, including MIT. Team Sunergy also earned this year’s Spirit of the Event Award for their collegiality, cross-team collaboration, expertise and technical innovation. Since its inception, this interdisciplinary, student-led team has demonstrated Mountaineer grit and determination, competing to win while maintaining commendable camaraderie and respect with their peer teams in the competition. Team Sunergy, the App State Community applauds you, and the staff and faculty who advise and mentor you, for an outstanding race and your continued pursuit of ingenuity and innovation!

Team Sunergy’s record of success is one of many accolades my leadership team and I shared with North Carolina Sen. Amy Galey, co-chair of the Senate’s Education/Higher Education and Appropriations on Education/Higher Education committees, during her visit to the Boone campus last week. We appreciated the opportunity to give her a campus tour and highlight the many accomplishments of our students, faculty and staff — achievements made possible by the state legislature’s continued and generous support.

We also updated Sen. Galey on the progress of the university's ongoing construction projects funded by state appropriations, including much-needed renovations to several academic buildings.

As we prepare for the fall semester, one of the more noticeable, recent changes on our Boone campus is the addition of construction fencing near Peacock Hall, home to the Walker College of Business. This is the start of the Peacock Hall addition and renovation project, which will improve and extend the life of the building by 30 to 50 years. More than 4,200 students take classes in this building each semester — the college has the largest enrollment of full-time undergraduate students of any business school in the UNC System. I thank the students, faculty and staff who learn, teach and work in the building, as well as everyone adjusting their typical parking practices and walking routes, for your patience and understanding as we redevelop the existing space into a modernized teaching and learning environment, designed to maximize student success.

Later this month, we will open a new cybersecurity lab and a new sciences lab on the Hickory campus, offering even more opportunities to students who want to attend App State in Hickory. Additionally, a new coffee kiosk is being planned for the student lobby area on the north end of the building and is slated to open during the fall 2024 semester. More classrooms and offices will be ready by fall 2025.

I’ve also restructured some administrative roles in preparation for the upcoming academic year.  

Earlier this week, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Operations Dan Layzell accepted a position at the University of Alabama as vice president for finance and operations and treasurer, after taking a leave of absence. We wish him well in this next step in his career.

When he began a leave of absence earlier this year, I shared with campus that other campus leaders had stepped up to ensure continuity and leadership for the areas he managed.

  • John Adams has assumed the role of Interim Chief Financial Officer with the Budget Office and administrative staff reporting to him.

  • Vice Chancellor J.J. Brown has assumed leadership for Campus Services. The additional areas now reporting to Vice Chancellor Brown are:
    • AppCard Office
    • Campus Dining
    • Campus Store
    • Conference and Event Services
    • Parking and Transportation
    • University Post Office
  • Vice Chancellor Hank Foreman has assumed leadership for Operations. The additional areas reporting to Vice Chancellor Foreman are:
    • App State Police
    • Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management
    • Facilities Operations
    • Human Resources
    • Planning, Design and Construction
    • New River Light and Power
    • Office of Sustainability

With the arrival of August, the second Summer Session ends soon, and we are 17 days from the start of the fall 2024 semester. We are planning some fun welcome events for both campuses for the first week of classes. I'm excited about the upcoming fall and the possibilities it holds for the Appalachian State University Community. I look forward to students, faculty and staff diving into a new year of learning, developing new friendships and making meaningful memories along the way.


Heather Norris
Interim Chancellor