BOONE—John Blackburn joked that he has had the shortest tenure on record as chairman of Appalachian State University’s Board of Trustees.

Sworn in as board chairman in March, Blackburn chaired his last meeting June 19. He is stepping down to serve on the UNC System’s Board of Governors. North Carolina state statutes prohibit an individual from serving on both boards simultaneously.

The board elected current Vice Chair Jeannine Underdown Collins of Boone to fill the remainder of Blackburn’s two-year term as chairman. Trustee G.A. Sywassink of Charlotte was elected to fill the remainder of Collin’s two-year term as vice chairman.

“I have grown in my four years here at Appalachian,” Blackburn said. “I look forward to continuing my involvement with this magical place.”

Also completing eight-year terms as members of the board are Jim Deal of Boone and George Beasley of Florida. Deal also has been appointed to the UNC Board of Governors and Beasley will continue to serve on the Appalachian State University Foundation Board of Directors.

Campus Construction Update

Construction on a new building that will house Appalachian’s Reich College of Education is expected to begin within the next month, according to Greg Lovins, interim vice chancellor for business affairs.

Speaking to members of the university’s Board of Trustees at their June 19 meeting, Lovins said Appalachian is benefitting from the slowdown in construction projects. Bids for the construction phase of the education building were below what was originally projected for the project. Hickory Construction was awarded the construction bid. Lovins estimates it will take two years to complete the 124,547-square-foot building.

Board members also approved demolition of an amphitheatre adjacent to Plemmons Student Union. The demolition, which must receive final approval from the state, will facilitate expansion of the international award-winning student union. In other action, the board approved a three-year lease renewal on a space in a county-owned building known as the Hannah Building. Located off Bamboo Road, the building houses the Hayes School of Music’s Community Music School program and provides space for other university programs. The board also renewed for two years the lease of a building in Hickory that houses a regional office of the Small Business and Technology Development Center.

The university plans to issue up to $31.068 million in special obligation bonds to finance improvements to Cone Residence Hall and completion of the athletics facilities construction project. Because of the favorable construction climate, Lovins expects that the residence hall project will cost no more than $10 million to complete. The bonds for the project will be repaid through student housing fees.

Up to $15 million in additional funds are needed to complete athletics facilities enhancement projects because of change orders to the original construction plans as well as cost overruns, Lovins said. A combination of athletics fees, private donations and revenues from ticket sales will be used to repay the bonds. The project, which includes renovation and expansion of Kidd Brewer Stadium, is on schedule for completion in late August.

Trustees also approved the sale of the First Presbyterian Church property in Boone from the university’s Endowment Fund, which purchased the property in June 2008, to the state. The property located on Howard Street will provide additional campus parking as well as lecture, classroom and faculty office space. Future plans also call for relocating an on-campus pre-school program to the church property.

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