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Another ‘Student Walkout for Education’ Planned Prior To Thursday Football Game

A couple hundred students plus some faculty members showed up to the protest in front of Kidd Brewer Stadium. Photos by Jesse Wood
A couple hundred students plus some faculty members showed up to the protest in front of Kidd Brewer Stadium. Photos by Jesse Wood

*Release from student group, Appalachian State Student Power

On Nov. 5, Appalachian State University will be hosting their second home football game on a Thursday. Students, faculty, and staff will again have limited parking to accommodate tailgaters.

At 2:30 p.m. students and faculty will walk out to Sanford Mall, then march to Stadium Lot before tailgaters arrive to use the parking lot to facilitate a teach-in, devoting the space to participatory education. They will end the march at Appalachian State’s administration building, B.B Dougherty, hand delivering their list of demands to administrators.

“Since our efforts began, Chancellor Everts has amended the parking policy for Thursday games twice. The partial restoration of parking reveals that students do have power and that nothing will change unless students and faculty continue to mobilize and demand that our voices be heard,” said Rachel Clay, a student at Appalachian State University. “At a time when this country is facing an unprecedented crisis of student debt, and consistent budget cuts from the state, it is unacceptable that students are forced to subsidize 50 percent or more of an athletics program that consistently fails to contribute at all to our institution’s general fund.”

Appalachian State has received millions of dollars of cuts from state resources and has passed the burden along to students and faculty.

What are students really paying for?

  • Since 2011, tuition has increased by 32.4% while the salary of the head football coach has increased 91.98%.
  • Between 2011 and 2015 five university departments had an average faculty salary that decreased.
  • Academic and instructional spending per full time student decreased 5% while spending per athlete increased by 30%.
  • Between 1987 and 2011 the number of full-time administrators rose by 318.8 percent while enrollment increased by only 70.6 percent.
  • In 2014 the average salary of employees with “chancellor” or “provost” in their title was $148,659.14
  • Between 2010 and 2014, full-time non-tenure track faculty increased 31.8%, while tenured or tenure-track faculty increased 0.5%

“There must be an environment at Appalachian State University that puts the mental, physical, and financial well-being of students, faculty, staff, and their families above the preservation and propagation of Appalachian State as a brand, sports team, or commodity,” said Anne Dugger, a student at Appalachian State University.

By increasing costs that are unrelated to the mission of the university, Appalachian State is creating an undue financial burden on potential applicants that directly conflicts with Article IX, Section 9, of the North Carolina Constitution.

We stand firm in our declaration that education is a right and students are not customers.

WHEN: Nov. 5, 2015 2:30 p.m.

WHAT: Appalachian State Students Walkout for Education

WHERE: Sanford Mall (300 Locust St, Boone, NC 28608) and Stadium Lot (270 Stadium Dr, Boone, NC 28607)

WHO: Appalachian State Student Power

See prior stories about two other protests on campus in the past few weeks:

Photos: Protest of ASU’s Athletic Priorities Held Hours Before Thursday Night Game

https://www.hcpress.com/news/noon-protest-at-app-state-planned-to-oppose-chancellor-raises-in-unc-system.html