Location Information (including driving directions)

Distance Education programs are offered, each semester, at 15-20 different locations/sites throughout western North Carolina. Information about the individual sites is provided on the Individual Site Pages. Brief information is provided about the specific sites such as driving direction links, parking information, security office contact numbers, etc. on the individual site pages and will continue to add information as it becomes available. Faculty are invited to share information they discover, as part of their experience at the sites, with distance education via email to englebertmf@appstate.edu if they believe the information will be helpful to future instructors. Faculty should review the following general information about site usage, technology, and facilities.

Classes must be held at the sites approved by SACS and authorized by the UNC General Administration due to liability issues, Cleary Act provisions, and other regulatory issues involved. Should the need arise to meet in another location (e.g. field trip) for a single class meeting the faculty member should seek guidance from the Director of Distance Education before proceeding with a move. Under no circumstances should classes be moved permanently from their approved/authorized locations without the proper approvals.

Classroom Information:

Classrooms are typically unlocked by site personnel approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled class period. In cases where classes are scheduled back-to-back, the classroom may be available only 5-10 minutes before the start of the next scheduled period. When the need arises to access a classroom earlier than the 5-10 minute "cushion," faculty should contact Anni Leashomb (in Distance Education) by email at leashombam@appstate.edu or phone (828-262-2904) to determine whether these arrangements can be made. On extremely rare occasions, site personnel fail to unlock a scheduled classroom; when this occurs the faculty member should send a student to the site's switchboard or evening director's office to request that Security open the room. Should another class be taking place in a faculty member's assigned classroom during the time that that he/she is scheduled to hold class; the faculty member should first verify that he/she has the right day and time and if so, he/she should go to the switchboard attendant or evening site director and explain the problem. The site director should remedy the problem. If any of the foregoing (or other) situations occur, the faculty member should notify Ms. Leashomb (by email at leashombam@appstate.edu) by the end of the next business day so that Ms. Leashomb can insure that the problem does not recur. The Office of Distance Education verifies times, dates, classroom requirements, and room assignments for each course to be delivered at each site and is anxious that faculty members not be unduly burdened with these details; however, glitches can occur.

Community colleges have had a significant enrollment increase in recent years, and classroom scheduling has become more difficult. If an assigned classroom is thoroughly inadequate (is not large enough to accommodate the enrolled students, is positioned near noise-generating equipment/other classes, etc.) the faculty member should notify Ms. Leashomb so that other arrangements can be requested before the next scheduled class meeting. Should the site administration relocate an Appalachian distance education class, the faculty member should notify Ms. Leashomb as soon as possible. All rules governing site/location classrooms should be adhered to. If the site has specified that no food and/or drinks are allowed, faculty members should take care to see that the rule is followed. Should it be necessary to move classroom furniture to accommodate instructional needs, the classroom should be returned to its original configuration after each class meeting before the faculty member leaves. If additional classes are not scheduled to meet in the classroom, faculty are asked to close the classroom doors when they depart at the end of their class period. If the locks do not engage, they are asked to notify security and Ms. Leashomb who will notify the site to resolve the lock problem.

Classroom Technology:

Distance Education goes to great lengths to insure that the technology at each location will meet the expectations of faculty and the needs of the coursework and students. Laptop carts are stationed at sites where the need has been identified. The Virtual Desktop Initiative (VDI) is installed at most sites which means that, in general, faculty can expect that any software available in a main campus classroom is available at the assigned site; however, they should identify specific software needs on the Course Request Form which should be completed as early as possible. Site usage contracts generally specify technology support and how support will be provided. The VPN may be needed to access some campus software or services, to insure that technology is in place before the need arise, faculty are strongly encouraged to notify Distance Education, on the Course Request Form, of anticipated need.

Atypical Classroom Requirements:

Any classroom needs that fall outside the typical classroom configuration/arrangement should be identified on the Course Request Form. To insure that such needs can be addressed before the semester in which the course is scheduled, the Course Request Form should be completed as early and thoroughly as possible. Needs that are identified late or after the semester has begun are much more difficult to address with the host site.