The Southern Highland Reader

RALEIGH/STATEWIDE–UNC President Erskine Bowles recently praised the state House for recommending tax hikes — which they call revenue packages — to help out the university system.

If the House plan were approved as is, he said, the net funding cut for the UNC system would fall from 11.2 percent to 8.7 percent.

Bowles:

Across our 17 campuses, this partial restoration of funding would save 600 jobs and enable us to teach 1,300 more class sections, helping our students get the courses they need to graduate on time. This vital funding would be applied directly to the University’s academic core.

At Appalachian State University, for example, these additional dollars would save about 40 jobs—more than half of them faculty—and restore 175 class sections. Western Carolina would save another 30 jobs in an economically distressed region of the state. Elsewhere, NC Central University would save more than 20 faculty and staff jobs and 75 class sections; East Carolina University would save 75 jobs, including nursing faculty; and UNC Wilmington would save another 50 jobs and 120 course sections. Restored funds would also help soften the impact of budget cuts on critical academic and counseling services and campus safety.

REGIONAL–John Frierson at the Chattanooga Times Free Press is one of a dwindling few sports journalists who covers the Southern Conference in a thoughtful way.

In a recent Sunday piece he takes a good look at SoCon football “money” games.

An excerpt:

While FCS teams have been taking beatings (usually) and cashing big checks from big-time opponents for years, the money is more than ever a crucial revenue stream now, according to Samford athletic director Bob Roller. The Bulldogs open their season at Central Florida on Sept. 5, and that game is expected to earn Samford more than $250,000.

“We absolutely have to have one,” Roller said of the guarantee games. “It’s a salve. (The money) will all be used and it will go toward the athletic department, not just football.”

Another:

Appalachian State, again a preseason favorite to win the national championship, isn’t facing the same kind of financial difficulties that UTC, Furman and some other SoCon schools are having to endure. Because of the Mountaineers’ recent success — three straight national championships from 2005 to ’07 — donations and ticket sales remain strong. In eight games last season, counting the playoffs, ASU’s average attendance was 25,161.

That strong financial footing allows the Mountaineers to schedule games against bowl subdivision teams with an eye toward opportunity, rather than money — the win at Michigan to open the 2007 season being a prime example.

“I’d hate to think that we’d ever get into the situation where we’re playing these games for financial reasons,” Appalachian State athletic director Charlie Cobb said, “but I understand that some schools have to do that.”

Read Frierson’s piece — along with a sidebar list of league money games — here.

SYLVA–The town of Sylva has hired a new manager.

Sylva’s Town Board voted Friday morning to hire Adrienne Isenhower, currently a planner for the city of Lenoir, to replace Jay Denton, who was fired last fall.

The position has been held since Denton’s departure in an interim capacity by Chris Carter, retired manager of the town of Hendersonville. Carter assisted the board in its search for Denton’s replacement.

The board made the decision in a 3-2 vote.

Commissioners Stacy Knotts, Sarah Graham and Maurice Moody supported Isenhower.

Sylva’s planning director/code enforcement position has also been vacant since late last fall, when director Jim Aust resigned after the board failed to approve a planned community on Yellowbird Branch Rd. in Sylva. Aust’s position may not be re-hired. The board has since outsourced inspection responsibilities to Jackson County government, and Knotts, Graham and Moody sought a manager candidate with a background in planning.

Commissioners Harold Hensley and Ray Lewis told the Smoky Mountain News that they voted against Isenhower because of her lack of experience and because her base pay was more than that of the previous manager. However, Hensley had previously made clear his intention to vote against any candidate the majority members of the board chose, regardless of qualifications.

Isenhower, 28 26, earned an undergraduate degree in political science from Appalachian State University, and went on to earn a masters degree in public administration from the same school. She has worked for the city of Lenoir since 2006, and earlier served separate internships with the cities of Lenoir, Troy and Boone. She is the daughter of Elon town manager Mike Dula.

Disclosure: The author of this post is husband of Sarah Graham, Sylva commissioner

BOONE-Appalachian State Mountaineer basketball coach Houston Fancher has resigned, after a nine-year run. His overall record in Boone was 137-136. More from the Winston Salem Journal.