Student Affairs

Student Affairs Operational Updates

Updated Friday, October 4th, 2024

Campus Activities

Campus Activities will be closed until the University reopens on Monday, October 14, 2024. Professional staff may be available via email and Zoom meetings.

At this time, operations will continue with limited modifications- we will continue to adjust, as needed.

• Central Dining Operations: 9:30 am - 8:00 pm

• Trivette Market: 1:00 pm-9:00 pm
• Crossroads in the Student Union:
• Friday, 10/4: 10a-4p
• Saturday and Sunday, 10/5-6: 10a-4p
• Monday-Thursday: 10a-7:30p

Campus Store

Campus Store will remain closed through the week of October 7th, 2024.

Center for Student Success & Community; Women’s Resource Center; Henderson Springs LGBTQ+ Resource Center

All Centers will be closed until classes resume.

Child Development Center

The CDC will be closed for children until Wednesday, October 16th. Staff return 10/14-15 to prepare the spaces for children to return. Our team has generally limited availability and capacity, but some staff are available to help with other areas of campus as needed.

Community-Engaged Leadership

CEL will remain closed while the University is on Condition 3. At this time, we aim to open our office on Monday, October 14, 2024. 

Conference & Event Services

CES office space will remain closed while the University is operating at condition 3. Some staff are available to help cover other areas if needed. Our office space can be used as a space for storing general supplies and donations if not immediately needed on campus (long term). The elevator in University Hall is broken so supplies will need to be carried up/down stairs. Please let Frances know if there is a need. 

Professional staff is working remotely and is available via email and Zoom meetings.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Counseling and Psychological Services will offer Let’s TeleTalk Mon-Thurs the week of 9/30/2024 from 1:00-3:00 PM for brief, informal consultations with a counselor. See https://counseling.appstate.edu/pagesmith/456 for zoom link.

We will also have counselors available in-person for Let’s Talk on the 3rd Floor of the Student Union, outside the Resource Hub / Dean of Students Office, from Tues-Fri from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.

If in the Boone area and experiencing an urgent mental health concern, call the Counseling Center at 828-262-3180 and select the option to speak with the counselor on-call. For additional mental health emergency resources, see https://counseling.appstate.edu/pagesmith/145.

CS Express: Boone and Hickory Campus

Office staff are working remotely and have updated the CS Express/Appcard website (https://appcard.appstate.edu/) to let customers know to reach out via email.

New Mountaineer and Family Engagement

NMFE Office will be closed until Monday, October 14, 2024, per the condition 3 mandate from the University. Our team has limited availability and capacity but will be available to help on campus when possible. Limited staff are available remotely via Zoom, phone calls, and email. As WiFi and other resources become more readily available in the area, so will our department staffing. 

Office of the Dean of Students: Case Management, Student Conduct, Off Campus Student Services, Student Legal Clinic and Student Veteran Resource Center.

The Campus Flood Recovery Hub is to provide bridging relief to faculty, staff and students. This resource is available thru October 4th, from 10 - 3:00pm. We are currently working on a remote option for faculty, staff and students to request bridging support.

Limited staff will be available on campus to assist with phone coverage and walk-ins. Staff who need to work remotely will also assist via Zoom and email. Operation hours this week will be from 10am-3pm.

There will always be an ODOS leadership member carrying the on-call phone throughout the weekend and they can be reached at 828-434-6072. We have adjusted who is on call based on internet availability.

Parking and Transportation

Staff will be available to answer phones and address any parking related issues that arise on campus.  

AppalCART will run a Saturday schedule thru Saturday, October 5th from 9:00am to 6:00pm.  Only Gold, Green, Maroon, POP105, Red and Teal will run.  The Express Route will run Wednesday, 10/2-Friday, 10/4 from 9am-6pm.  Please use the SPOT App for bus location and arrival predictions. 

They are working on expanding their demand response van service. Their phones are now operable and staff is working to accommodate as many trips as possible.  Thank you for your patience with the AppalCART. 

Plemmons Student Union

UPDATED PSU OPERATING SCHEDULE:

• Monday 9/30 to Friday 10/4: 10am to 8pm
• Saturday 10/5 & Sunday 10/6: 10am to 6pm
• Monday 10/7 to Friday 10/11: 10am to 8pm
• Saturday 10/12 & Sunday 10/13: Closed
• Monday 10/14 and Tuesday 10/15: 8am to 6pm

Please note that these hours are subject to change pending staff availability and University guidance. Call (828) 262-3030 for the latest information.

We anticipate returning to our normal building hours on Wednesday 10/16

Per the Student Union's Adverse Weather Policy, all meetings and events scheduled in the Student Union will be canceled until 10/16/24.

Student Health Services

Sept. 30th through Oct. 4th

• We will be running at half capacity. We will be providing urgent care services only. Routine needs will be diverted to the following week. We plan to run limited hours 8am to 3:30pm.
• No psychiatry services
• No injury clinic 
• Lab services are available
• Pharmacy open
• No flu clinic this week (was scheduled for October 1st)

Telehealth options are available for students for some medical needs. 

October 5th-15th

• Saturday 10/5 and Sunday 10/6: closed
• Monday 10/7 to Friday 10/11: open 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Saturday 10/12 and Sunday 10/13: closed
• Fall Break (Monday 10/14 and Tuesday 10/15): open with "limited services", 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. 

Student Health will be providing urgent care services only.

• Primary care visits for illnesses and injuries available
• Limited injury clinic availability
• Lab services available
• Limited X Ray availability
• Pharmacy open (except 10/14 & 10/15)
• Psychiatry services available (both in person and remote)

Telehealth options are available for students for some medical needs. Students can medportal message (https://healthservices.appstate.edu/medportal) their provider for medication refills. If the provider does not respond within 48 hours, please call 828-262-3100 or email [email protected]. 

University Housing

University Housing offices and facilities will continue normal operations. There is a RA in every building, two GAs, one Coordinator, and UH Leadership on Call each day.

If you have a housing specific question contact UH Leadership on Call at 828-406-0884. We are currently out of emergency spaces.

University Post Office

We will be open daily, 9:00am-4:00pm.

Access to boxes will be available during normal hours.

University Recreation

University Recreation has modified our schedule as follows:

Monday September 30th - Friday October 4th

• SRC 11am-7pm (pool, climbing wall, and outing center are closed)
  
• Quinn closed
  
• Mt. Mitchell 10am-4pm (showers will be available when union building is open)
  

Saturday October 5th and Sunday October 6th

Civic Literacy Initiative and the Civic Literacy Student Fellows

The Civic Literacy Initiative fosters a nonpartisan, civically engaged, and informed campus community. Through Student Affairs and Academic Affairs collaboration, we will help students examine complex questions and learn to discuss them with confidence and respect for differences in thought, belief, opinion, and background. With a strong commitment to student success, freedom of expression, institutional neutrality, academic freedom, and nondiscrimination, we support all students as they develop into leaders who can skillfully navigate complex conversations, increase democratic engagement, and build strong community ties through experiential learning. In doing so, the goal is to foster a university community that is welcoming to all and an academic culture of collaboration and respect.

The Office of Community-Engaged Leadership is excited to announce that in addition to the 11 volunteer members of our AppVotes Voter Coalition, we have hired 13 students to serve as Civic Literacy Fellows within the coalition!

The goal of the coalition is to increase civic literacy on campus every year through activities such as educational presentations, voter registration programs, and getting people to the polls. The Student Fellow role is a paid position that plays a crucial role in organizing and leading initiatives aimed at promoting civic literacy and engagement among App State students. 

Please welcome our new fellows:

● Aidan Beauregard

● Nick Jackson

● Dillon Smart

● Ava Zellman

● May Currens

● Rian Mofu

● Isabella Lebron

● Jones Graf

● Abby Gonzalez Zavala

● Artie Bradley

● Andrew Myers

● Sofie Mascellino

● Hunter Messick

One of the main initiatives that the Civic Literacy Fellows will be working on this semester is our

Civic Literacy Presentations. With the election coming up, we have received a few questions

about updated voting laws and info that students (and all NC residents) will need to know.

CEL/AppVotes is a hub that students can always come to with questions about voting -

however, we know that we are not the only people who will get questions about these topics.

To help answer these questions and equip you with the information you'll need this Fall, we are

offering Civic Literacy Presentations for classrooms & groups/organizations! These

presentations range from 15-40 minutes, depending on which you select. To see all of the

options and to request a presentation, click here.

Know of Any Students Wanting to be a Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader (SOUL)?

The 2025 Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader (SOUL) Recruitment Process is underway! We are excited to grow our student orientation team and want to connect with incredible student leaders like YOU. Here is some pertinent information about our SOUL recruitment process. Here is a link to the full SOUL position description.

What is a SOUL? 📣

SOULs are dedicated to ensuring all incoming first-year and transfer students feel welcome as they transition to life at Appalachian State University. This group of passionate App State students are excited to help New Mountaineers by assisting with course registration, navigating our campus community, sharing institution and community resources, and fostering connections to peers, faculty, and staff. Here is an overview of the responsibilities of a SOUL:

• Educate new students on all things Appalachian, including Student Life, Campus Culture, Academic Requirements, Communal Expectations, and Being a Mountaineer.
• Facilitate and lead icebreakers, group cohesion, and team-building activities.
• Serve as a mentor, guide, and resource for all New Mountaineers and their families.
• Assist with extended Orientation Programs, ensuring new students are acclimated to campus and helping foster a sense of belonging for new students.

Benefit$ and Compen$ation! 💸

• Competitive pay starts at $12.00 an hour for 35-40 hours a week (Mid May - Mid July).
• On-campus housing and on-campus parking passes are provided during Orientation Sessions.
• Paid Spring Training Sessions throughout the Spring Semester to ensure students are prepared for Orientation Sessions.
• Professional development through communication, teamwork and shared leadership, small group facilitation, peer advising, crisis management, problem-solving, and leading groups of peers.
• Lasting friendships and memories with fellow SOULs and incoming students.
• Networking opportunities with Appalachian staff, faculty, and administrative leaders.
• Exclusive Nike SOUL Uniform.
• An unforgettable summer experience in Boone!

Excited to Apply? 📝

Great news: the 2025 SOUL Application is now open! You can learn more about our application process at orientation.appstate.edu/workfororientation/soul. Don’t delay; completed applications are due Monday, September 30th, by midnight. A complete application requires two letters of recommendation via our online Reference Google Form and personal reflection to four open-ended questions. Ready to apply? Excellent; here is the link to our 2025 SOUL Application.

We are excited to look over your application and get to know you through this recruitment process. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself (Sarah Garrow) or Abby Silvers, the NMFE Graduate Assistant, at ([email protected]). 

Welcome to Our New Staff Members!!

Please welcome to our Division, Ms. Mary Logan Yancey and Dr. Brent James.  Read below to learn more about them!

The Office of Student Affairs is elated to welcome Mary Logan Yancey.  Mary Logan will be serving as the Executive Assistant in the Office of Student Affairs. Mary Logan has been with the University since 2022, previously serving as an Administrative Support Specialist in the Reich College of Education. Mary Logan received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In her free time, Mary Logan enjoys reading, baking, and being in nature.

The Office of Community-Engaged Leadership (CEL) is delighted to welcome Dr. Brent James to the role of Assistant Director for Community Engagement! Brent is an established colleague at Appalachian State University as a Senior Lecturer of Portuguese & Spanish in the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures. He has also been a longstanding partner with CEL serving as a faculty partner with our Alternative Service Experience and Interchange Retreat initiatives.

While born and raised in Florida, Brent worked briefly in Washington, DC, and eventually moved to Los Angeles, where he earned his doctorate in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from the University of California, Los Angeles. After years of teaching at Appalachian and consistent service work here in Boone and Latin America, Brent has decided to pursue his passion for community engagement and student success with CEL. Outside of work, his hobbies include travel, photography, outdoor adventure, and spending quality time with his immediate family and his extended soccer family.

The Plemmons Student Union team is excited to announce that Kevin Kish has joined their team as the Associate Director for Operations. In that role Kevin is charged with overseeing all of the student employees as well as providing leadership and guidance to the operations including but not limited to event setups, audio-visual, gameroom, and general building functions.

Kevin is coming from San Jose State University where he started as their Night Manager and then Operations Manager overseeing the operations of multiple Student Unions on their campus. Prior to his 5 years at San Jose State University, he held roles in eCommerce fulfillment and in Operations Management for West Coast Shaving. He brings over 12 years of experience in employment management, operations, and event facilitation.

We hope you get the chance to meet all of these new staff members soon and welcome them to App.