A 25-year tradition will end this November with the loss of the Appalachian House in Washington, D.C.
    The AppHouse has provided low rent and a sense of community for countless numbers of Appalachian State University students, faculty, staff and alumni.
    The little piece of Boone directly behind the Library of Congress enables those who enjoy an Appalachian education to increase their knowledge and skills by taking advantage of the opportunities abounding in Washington, D.C.
    Some participate in workshops for their respective fields of study along with students from all over the United States.
    Some hold internships with various establishments such as the Smithsonian Institution.
    Others take the opportunity to lobby members of Congress.
    Faculty members conduct research to further their own knowledge and increase their abilities to offer students in their classes an up-to-date and thorough education.
    This university prides itself on offering unique learning environments and experiences, and the AppHouse is a definite reason for this pride.
    Its loss will be tragic, to say the least, and will make research and participation in educational experiences more complicated and costly for members of the Appalachian Family.
    We echo the sentiments of Faculty Senate members and others who have stressed the importance of having such a facility as the AppHouse in Washington, D.C.
    The process of finding a new space may be time-consuming and difficult, however the beneficial results for Appalachian State will prove well worth the effort that must be put forth.
    Not being able to renew the lease on the current AppHouse may be a blessing in disguise. Many renovations are needed on the facility, and as one administrator said, it needs to be completely gutted.
    Perhaps what seems to be a loss will give the needed impetus for providing Appalachian affiliates with not only a cheap place to spend the night but a comfortable and home-like environment.
    Preserving the integrity of this campus is indeed very necessary. However, this campus isn’t just the land and buildings here in the Town of Boone limits. Our campus extends out into North Carolina, into New York, N.Y. and into Washington, D.C.
    Those are the natural extensions that must be given priority.
    In a time of fee increases and grandiose plans for the future of athletics at this university, the little things that actually make an Appalachian education worthwhile should not be forgotten or pushed aside.
    A new facility in Washington, D.C., simply must be found. The integrity of this university as a whole, not just its land, is at stake.
    What will be remembered when the trek to graduation is complete?
    Surely we will remember the big games held in state-of-the-art facilities. But perhaps the greatest memories and experiences that will have influenced our lives forever will come from what we learned on a day that began looking out a fourth floor window of the AppHouse to see the sun rise behind the dome of the Capitol.