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Information About Boone and Appalachian

The Hubbard Center surveyed newly hired faculty members to find out what they wish they had been told about Appalachian and Boone when they first arrived on campus. We think this information may be helpful to new faculty members. You may scan the entire site or select the targets below to link to specific topics of interest.

New!Google MyMap site that locates local on- and off-campus resources for new faculty relocating to the High Country. Locations include faculty services, government agencies, utilities, schools, childcare, and health and wellness facilities.

Information About Boone and
the Local Community

Information about Appalachian

 

Information about Boone and the Local Community

Facts about the High Country

  • Boone is the Heart of the High Country and is consistently ranked as one of the “Best Small Towns in America.” Boone is a bustling university town and the center of tourism and commerce for Watauga County and the region. To learn more about the High Country's population, climate, government, and history check with the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce.

Travel/Transportation

Detailed maps of Watauga County are also available for free from Appalachian's Visitors Center, John E. Thomas Academic Support Building, 828-262-2179.

  • Public Transportation: The AppalCART is the busline that services the campus and the town of Boone, 828-264-2278. All intown routes are free. Bus schedules may be picked up at many locations in town and on campus or you may download the routes from AppalCart's website. AppalCART also offers connections to Winston-Salem and Greensboro where you can catch a Greyhound bus an Amtrack train or a bus to the Piedmont Airport in Greensboro.
  • Planes: There are three major airports serving the Boone area (approximately 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours from Boone):
    * Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, NC (100 miles)
    * Greensboro-High Point Airport in Greensboro, NC (115 miles)
    * Tri-Cities Regional Airport in Johnson City, TN (60 miles)

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Child Care/Elder Care Facilities

  • The University operates two centers that provide care for the children of faculty, staff, and students:
    Lucy Brock Child Development Center: located in L.S. Dougherty Hall and Sanford Hall; call 828-262-3006 for information on availability, applications, and fees; and
    Child Development Center: located on Popular Grove Road; call 828-262-2116 for information on availability, applications, and fees.
  • For off-campus daycare, contact the Children's Council of Watauga County at 828-262-5424.
  • For a listing of off-campus childcare and much more, consult the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services at www.ncchildcare.net. Click on "Parent" on the top bar; "Search for Childcare" on side bar; and enter "Watauga" County in the drop down menu.
  • Assisted Living Service for Seniors: Appalachian/Brian Estates is located at 163 Shadowline Drive in Boone. For more information, call 828-264-1006.
  • For a listing of various licensed facilities for adults, visit the NC Division of Health Service Regulation website.

Schools

Preschools:

  • Public: One pre-kindergarten classroom is available at each of the elementary schools in the Watauga County Schools.
  • Private:  Mountain Pathways School offers classrooms for ages 18 months to twelve years of age. The school is located at 453 Howards Creek Road, Boone and can be contacted by calling (828) 262-5787.
  • Other pre-school programs can be found by contacting the Children’s Council of Watauga County at (828) 262-5424

Public Schools:

Private Schools:
There are two private schools in the area offering grades K-8. For more information on the schools and enrolling your child contact the following:

453 Howards Creek Road
Boone, NC 28607
Phone: (828) 262-5787

1033 NC Highway 105 Bypass
Boone, NC 28607
Phone: (828) 262-0018
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Area Colleges/Universities

Public Library

 

Local News

 

Health Care/Medical

Housing

Watauga County is a major tourist area, so home prices and rental rates in the immediate Boone area are surprisingly high. If you plan to buy a house, you may want to ask your realtor about homes available within a 25-mile radius, possibly in the neighboring counties. If you do plan to buy within the county, you will want to find out about areas of flooding by contacting the Watauga County Planning and Inspection Department, 331 Queen Street, Boone, 828-265-8043.


Jobs/Career Counseling

Boone is primarily a university and tourist town, and employment opportunities within Boone itself are limited. Therefore it is essential to be creative and flexible when searching for employment in this area. Some commuting may be necessary for the "trailing" spouse or partner to find employment.


Recreation/Leisure

  • Office of Arts and Cultural Programs
  • High Country Host
  • Boone Convention and Visitors Bureau
  • Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce
  • Blue Ridge High Country
  • Boone Chamber of Commerce
  • North Carolina Natural Attractions
  • Watauga County Parks and Recreation
  • For a calendar of community events such as concerts, festivals, and theatre productions, check VisitBooneNC.
  • The area has many parks, picnic areas, and walking trails. Some of the more popular include:
    Boone Greenway Pedestrian/Bike Trail: This trail begins near the Watauga Recreation Complex off State Farm Rd. The trail is available for walking, jogging, cross-country skiing, biking and roller blading.
    231 Complex Drive, off State Farm Road, Boone
    Blue Ridge Parkway (828-298-0398): Described as “America's most scenic drive”, the 469 mile Blue Ridge Parkway stretches from the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park in Southwest NC.
    Boone Jaycee Park (828-262-4530): Located on Oak Street in Boone. Facilities include a picnic area, playground and tot lot.
    Howard's Knob Park: Located on Howard's Knob overlooking Boone. Facilities include overlooks, picnic shelter, picnic area and trails. Park closes at dusk.
    Julian Price Park (828-963-5911): Located near milepost 295 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Price Park contains almost 4,000 acres of recreational wilderness based around the 47 acre Price Lake. The park offers camping, hiking, fishing and picnic areas.
    Junaluska Park (828-262-4560): Located off Bear Trail Drive in Boone. Facilities include water fountains, picnic shelter, basketball courts, playground equipment and restrooms.
    Roan Mountain State Park: Roan mountain is a Canadian-like Spruce forest and meadow at a 6,300 foot elevation located on the NC/TN state line. The summer over 600 acres of natural gardens of rhododendron bloom. The mountain is the snowiest, averaging over 100 inches per year, creating a cross-country skiers heaven.
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Community Organizations

Utilities/Service Providers

Public Safety

  • For all emergencies, call 911
  • For nonemergencies:
    • Boone Police (828-262-4500)
    • ASU Police (828-262-2150)
    • Watauga County Sheriff (828-264-3761)
    • Boone Fire Department (828-262-4520)
    • Watauga County Crimestoppers (828-262-4555)

Political Involvement/Voting

  • Information about North Carolina government officials.
  • You can apply for voter registration as soon as you arrive in the state. Your application will be put on file, and you will be eligible to vote within 25 days of your arrival. You can register to vote at the Watauga County Board of Elections, 842 West King Street, Suite 6, Boone, 828-265-8061, or when you apply for your North Carolina driver's license at the NC Driver's License Office, 4469 Bamboo Road, Boone, 828-265-5384 or you can register online.

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Driver's License/Tags

  • To get a new driver's license, apply at the NC Driver's License Office, at Mutton Crossing, 4469 Bamboo Road, Boone, 828-265-5384. You will be required to take a written and vision test, and you must take with you proof of insurance, car title, your old driver's license, and your social security card. NC Driver's License must be obtained within 60 days of NC residency. (You can also change your voter registration at the same time.)
  • Check out detailed information including a Driver' Handbook and road signs at the NC Division of Motor Vehicles.
  • To get a North Carolina registration and car tags, go to the North Carolina License Plate Agency at 834 West King Street, Boone, 828-268-2315. Vehicle registration and license tags must be obtained within 60 days of becoming a NC resident.
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Information About Appalachian

History of Appalachian/Fast Facts

Click here for brief history about the founding of our university and its growth over the years. Enrollment and admission information and other points of pride may also give you an overview of the university.


Organizational Charts

Click to download an organizational chart for units/offices of the university.
Click to download an administrator organizational chart that includes current administrative personnel by name.
Click to download the Academic Affairs organizational chart that includes deans and chairs by name.


Physical Layout

Campus Smoking Policy

Smoking is prohibited in and within 50 feet of all Appalachian State University facilities. A copy of Appalachian's policy regarding smoking on university property is available online.

Click here for an on-line map showing areas where smoking is prohibited on campus.

 

Libraries

  • Belk Library is the main library (828-262-2186).
    * Library Instruction and Services: A librarian will meet with you to discuss library-related assignment you are giving your students; advise you on whether the Library's resources are adequate for the assignment; and schedule one or more class sessions in the Library.
    * The Library is able to provide links from within your WebCT/AsULearn courses to resources and services which will support class assignments and give students easy access to relevant library materials and information. We can do this for classes held both on and off-campus.
    *The library has developed important details and resources regarding off-campus programming.  The Information Guide for Faculty Teaching in Appalachian's Off-Campus Programs offers answers to frequently-asked questions as well as directions to off-campus sites.
    * The Library also offers a variety of services for faculty including reserve reading, interlibrary loan, distance-learning support, resources for grants and funding, copyright information and much more.
    * Guided tours of Belk Library for students and faculty are also available upon request. Visit the Reference Desk to schedule a tour.
    * Cooperative Borrowing and Document Delivery: We can get materials for you from all over the world. Request forms are available on-line.
  • The Music Library (828-262-2388) supports the Mariam Hayes School of Music and is located in the Broyhill Music Building.


Computing/Computers


Textbooks

  • Undergraduate students rent their textbooks through the University Textbook Rental system. Check with the University Bookstore or with your department to determine which texts are currently being used in the courses that you will be teaching. All undergarduate students in the summer term and all graduate students purchase their texts. You may also choose to utilize any number of supplemental paperback and hardcover texts in your courses.


Parking

  • Parking permits are available from the Parking and Traffic Office located in the lower level of the parking deck on Rivers Street, 828-262-2878. To obtain a parking permit, you must bring a valid Appalachian State University I.D. card with you as well as your vehicle registration card.
  • Once you have obtained your parking permit, the Parking and Traffic Office will activite your AppCard (I.D. card) to allow you to enter the gated lots. You simply swipe your card (with the smaller stripe through the reader) and the gates will raise.
  • Note: Parking spaces are hard to find and parking citations are issued to faculty members if you park in an illegal space.
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Benefits


Faculty Responsibilities

  • Where a student’s actions or behavior bring the student to the attention of his/her University, appropriate sharing of information about that student allows the University to formulate the best response to the risks presented by the student to self or others.  "Sharing Information About Students Who May Pose a Risk of Danger" is a summary of current North Carolina and federal law and regulations governing the sharing of information.
  • Appalachian's Academic Integrity Code is designed to create an atmosphere of trust and respect. The Academic Integrity Code outlines "user-friendly" procedures and mechanisms for resolving alleged violations of academic integrity. The Academic Integrity Code is the result of cooperation among Appalachian's faculty, students, and administrators, and promotes a campus dialogue about academic integrity. The Code also outlines the faculty member's responsibilities regarding cases of academic dishonesty.
  • Policies on classroom management, attendance, etc.: for univeristy policies pertaining to course syllabi, student absences, and faculty absences, please consult the Faculty Handbook.
  • Office hours: Every full-time faculty member is required to be available seven (7) hours per week during the regular academic year to consult with students. Requirements for part-time faculty will be prorated according to the nuber of hours taught. For more information see the Faculty Handbook, Chapter 5, Section 4.
  • Student advisement: During their first semesters at Appalachian, students are advised through the Academic Advising Center operated by General Studies. When students declare a major, their academic records are transferred from the General Studies program to the degree-granting college and department of their choice. Your advisement duties will differ according to the practice of the college and department in which you teach. For more information on your department’s practices, see the Faculty Handbook, Chapter 5, Section 5.14 of the Faculty Handbook.
  • Summer School: Teaching summer school is not required. It is an option that many faculty members choose as a way to increase their salaries. Chairpersons normally send out a memo to all faculty during the spring semester asking faculty whether or not they wish to teach summer school. Faculty may ask the chair what classes are available to teach or ask if they can teach a particular course during the summer.
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Help with Your Teaching/Research

  • Many departments keep copies of all faculty syllabi on file.
  • Students in their senior year who plan to become teachers must serve as instructional assistants (IAs) at Appalachian before they do their student teaching in the public school system. Having an IA to assist with some of the classroom procedures can be very helpful.
  • The Hubbard Center for Faculty Development offers many services for faculty including:
    * a mentoring program for first-year tenure-track faculty.
    * various seminars, lectures, workshops, etc., are sponsored throughout the year to help with various aspects of teaching.
    * funds available to assist both part-time and full-time faculty members with a variety of special projects related to teaching. Contact the Hubbard Center, 828-262-3040, for a copy of the funding guidelines or visit the grants web page.
  • Funding for special projects, research, and development of new skills: Individual departments receive notices about various available grants, such as Fulbrights. Usually a notice will be posted or individual flyers/memos will be put into mailboxes notifying faculty that the department has the material available.
    * The Graduate School has funds available for a variety of projects, research, and travel expenses.
    * The Office of International Education and Development has funds to support foreign scholarly travel for the purposes of developing study abroad or exchange programs, conducting research, or making presentations at conferences or other forums abroad.
    * Occasionally funds are available through the departments for research assistants. Ask your chair and department secretary for information on these.
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Evaluation/Tenure

  • How teaching will be evaluated: C.D. Spangler, former president of the University of North Carolina system, mandated a peer observation and evaluation system for all nontenured and part-time faculty. Nontenured and part-time faculty members will be observed at least once during the academic year by another faculty member(s). Each department has its own observation procedures and guidelines. Generally, the faculty member to be observed may help choose his/her own observation team and consult with the team about a mutually convenient time for the observation. Talk to your own faculty chair for information on your department's procedures.
  • Student evaluations: All faculty are also evaluated using student evaluation forms; these must be distributed during the fall semester. Each department has its own evaluation forms; the Colleges of Business and Education use college-wide forms.
  • Requirements for gaining tenure: University-wide standards and procedures for retention, promotion, and tenure are outlined in the Faculty Handbook.
  • Fulfilling department's requirements for tenure: Every faculty member must have an annual conference with his/her chair, during which the faculty member's performance is discussed and analyzed. The Hubbard Center offers workshops on promotion and tenure that may address your concerns and answer many of your questions. For more information, call 828-262-3040.


Career Opportunities (outside the classroom)

  • Non-teaching job possibilities within Appalachian exist, but it is the responsibility of the individual faculty member to search for these opportunities, which are usually advertised in The Appalachian Scene.
  • A few part-time directorships are available in programs such as the Honors Program, Cultural Affairs, and various administrative posts that become available from time to time.
  • The directorships of the Appalachian Loft and Appalachian House--our New York and Washington, DC, facilities--are rotated every semester and during the summer.
  • Appalachian has developed exchange programs with universities in China and in Poland.
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Committees/Faculty Senate

  • Each department has a number of standing committees and each faculty member is expected to serve on one or more. Usually, a list of departmental committees is given to each faculty member at the first departmental meeting of the fall semester and everyone selects the committees on which he/she would like to serve. As a rule most people get their first or second preference with no difficulty.
  • To serve on the Faculty Senate, candidates must be selected by the members of their college (self-nomination is also possible) and elected by secret ballot. Procedures are outlined in the Faculty Handbook.
  • The Faculty Senate nominates members for the standing University Committees. All those interested in serving on these committees may express their interest to the Faculty Senate Office, 828-262-2067.
  • Chapter VII of the Faculty Handbook, covers all relevant information concerning committees, including names of the committees and their functions.


Clubs/Organizations

 

Personal Enrichment

  • DVDs/Videos/Streaming Video Library (Videos and DVDs are self-service from compact shelving units located in the center of the floor on the Lower Level of Belk Library)
  • Music Library (located on the second floor of the Broyhill Music Center, contains books, scores, and recordings)
  • Craft Enrichment Program (opportunities for students and community members to have a hands-on experience with many forms of creative expression through learning crafts)
  • Community Art School (offers an array of programming on-site and off to a wide audience—from preschoolers to the elderly to the developmentally disabled)
  • Community Music School (provides non-credit music instruction for children and adults in the local community)
  • Outdoor Programs (offers a wide variety of outdoor trips and training events, rents basic gear, and has a 50-foot climbing wall)
  • Health Promotion (spouses/partners and children are eligible; there is no fee for this program)

  • Informal/Fitness Recreation (annual user fee of $48 for the individual faculty member or $96 per year for the entire family for use of Mt. Mitchell Life Fitness Centre and the Quinn Recreational Center)