Message from Interim Chancellor Heather Norris

As we continue to assess the damage to our campus, we are keenly aware that our partners in the county are still in active response mode. Throughout our entire area, there is widespread lack of power and water, along with significant transportation and communication issues. Some of our students, faculty and staff have lost everything. We are so grateful to the emergency responders, volunteers and utility providers, and so many others, for their incredible work.

The university’s power, water and internet service remain stable, and we are working to support not only the many students, faculty and staff who have been impacted by the storm but also our deeply devastated community.

To the many, many people from across the state and nation who are sharing support for the university and our broader community — thank you. It means so much as we manage and respond to this crisis.

As crews work tirelessly to improve road access and to restore power, employees are making their way to campus as they’re able to, to relieve those who have been working around the clock.

We’ve set up a university Disaster Relief Resources page to share information about campus resources. Please note this will continue to be updated as additional resources become available. This page also includes information about how to volunteer and where to donate goods.

Beginning Wednesday, for students, faculty and staff who need support and resources, staff will be on-site in the Dean of Students Office (Room 324 of the Plemmons Student Union) from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The university remains under Adverse Weather Condition 3 (Closure) through 5 p.m. Friday, October 4. As we continue to monitor conditions on campus and infrastructure across the region, including roads to and from Boone, we will provide an update about operations beyond October 4 in the coming days.

At this time, our initial campus assessments indicate:

• Our Hickory campus has no major issues.
• On our Boone campus, all residence halls are structurally sound with minimal issues. Several academic buildings have significant water damage from flooding, including Walker Hall, Rankin Science Building, Varsity Gym and the academic areas of Holmes Convocation Center. Levine Hall remains without power.

Now that we know which buildings are safe to enter, faculty and staff who need materials from their offices and are able to get to campus safely should feel free to retrieve them.

• Please be mindful of the Watauga County and Town of Boone curfew in effect from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Those who wish to access Walker Hall, Rankin Science Building, Varsity Gym and the academic areas of Holmes Convocation Center, please contact your department chair to arrange for access.

We are working to support our campus community as well as assist the Town of Boone and Watauga County.

• We are continuing to provide meals to campus and community members at Central Dining Hall, free of charge.
• Wi-Fi is available for the public in the Stadium (Blue Ridge) Parking Deck, College Street (Library) Parking Deck, Plemmons Student Union and Central Dining Hall, as well as on Sanford Mall.
• Residence halls and student recreation remain open for students.
• The university and Red Cross have coordinated to open a shelter in the Holmes Convocation Center.
• The university, Town of Boone, Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and Watauga County are coordinating on joint messaging to share community resource information. Thank you to everyone who is helping share this information with people with limited or no communications connectivity. 
• We continue working together with local, state and national resource providers on establishing support resources for those with longer term needs.
• This afternoon at 4 p.m., App State will join Watauga County and the Town of Boone for a press conference, which will also be livestreamed here.

We greatly appreciate those who have contributed to the App State Disaster Relief Recovery Fund. This remains the best way to assist those in the Mountaineer community. The best way to share this with others is to share the link to the university homepage: appstate.edu.

We remain so very grateful to everyone who has been able to do whatever they can to take care of their families, their loved ones, their neighbors and even strangers they don’t know. Every effort makes a difference.

Very best wishes,

Heather Norris
Interim Chancellor