SGA writes resolution concerning mission

Laney Ruckstuhl

February 6, 2014

The Student Government Association wrote a resolution regarding Appalachian State University’s proposed mission statement to send to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.

SGA Senate Bill 147-019, written by SGA’s Academic Affairs Committee, passed Tuesday, which approved the resolution to be sent to the BOG effective immediately.

The resolution states: “[T]he Student Government Association of Appalachian State University supports; and be it further that the mission statement amendment changes from: ‘…intermediate programs and the doctorate in Education’ to ‘…intermediate programs and various doctoral degrees.’”

This sentence of the mission statement has been debated back and forth between the BOG and Chancellor Kenneth Peacock, who brought the statement to the faculty’s attention in a meeting Jan. 24.

The committee was headed by SGA Student Director of Academic Affairs Arianna Bonner, who wrote the bill.

“Not only does it put us in the same competitive league as other universities in North Carolina, it will help us grow in a way that will make us more prominent in the education sphere,” Bonner said.

Currently, a Doctorate of Educational Leadership is the only doctoral program offered at the university.

The committee worked in partnership with the Faculty Senate to support the same stance as the faculty resolution, sent to the BOG on Monday.

The mission statement will potentially stand for the next five years, limiting or expanding Appalachian’s doctoral programs.

“[The mission statement] is seen by prospective students and parents,” said Wes Rawles, academic affairs committee member. “It really just sets Appalachian’s tone. We’re a school that’s very big on diversity, so only having our mission statement have just a doctorate in education isn’t very diverse.”

Rawles said he believes that UNC President Tom Ross, who has edited the mission statement twice to limit Appalachian to doctoral programs only in the field of education, will be very receptive of the student resolution.

Story: Laney Ruckstuhl, Intern News Reporter

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SGA writes resolution concerning mission

The Appalachian