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 Since this is my final column and the last issue of the year for The Appalachian, I wanted to go over some of the top news stories of the year. Some of these are personal, while others affected a wide range of people.
In any case, it’s been one heck of a year, and I’ve come to enjoy this column. First thing, let me thank everyone who read this column throughout the year. When I started, I didn’t enjoy the opinion-centered writing style a column allows, but eventually I came to see it as a forum for my thoughts. So again, thanks everyone for giving me a chance to express myself!
Without any further ado, here’s a review of some of the top news stories of the year.
At the beginning of the year, the budget was the biggest issue at Appalachian State University.
Budget cuts and freezes were implemented by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, on top of more cuts by the North Carolina General Assembly. The total cuts amounted to 10.2 percent, which left empty faculty positions unfilled.
Fortunately, through strategic restructuring of positions and budget freezes, there were no layoffs.
Student and faculty deaths seemed more prominent than usual the first semester of the school year. I felt personally affected by this, due to the number of families of those students and faculty I spoke with.
Just last Friday, sophomore secondary education major Caitlyn M. Price was involved in a fatal automobile accident.
If there was one thing I could wish for, it would be for no more student deaths. It is a tragic subject to deal with, but I was glad to help families with tribute articles for their students. My heart goes out to anyone affected by this.
As most everyone is aware, Boone had its most severe winter since 1960. Boone received a total snow accumulation of 6.96 feet. Watauga County schools missed 27 days of school, and Appalachian canceled three full days of school.
I spent three years here hoping for a decent winter. On the fourth year, I got a little more than I had bargained for. I was happy to see the snow melt, and devastated again and again as Mother Nature piled on cruel joke after joke. By the end of this winter, I never wanted to see a flake again.
A major change next year is mandatory health insurance for all students at Appalachian. At $325.50 a semester, the insurance could surely put some hurting on the wallets of students. But with health care reform already requiring insurance, this policy is needed and benefits students in the long run.
This was but a smattering of the news stories this year, but don’t fret, because all of them can be found online at theappalachianonline.com. So if you get nostalgic, take a look through the past year I have a feeling I will be.
Column: ED SZTUKOWSKI, News Editor
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