May 28, 1998

News Briefs

Community Members Donate Money

University community members and the public have contributed $152,000 to ASU in honor of retiring dean Dr. Donald Sink. Donations will be used to help furnish and equip the new science building on Rivers Street. His name will adorn a faculty lounge in the new buildng. Two hundred twenty people contributed the gifts to the University through the Appalachian State University Foundation Inc.

Software Gift

Sterling Software of Plano, Texas donated a computer assisted software engineering tool to Information Technology majors. The product speeds the time it takes to plan, design and build computer applications used in businesses and industries. The software allows programs to be created within weeks rather than months or years. The $1 million software gift will allow information technology majors to gain necessary skills to meet the demands of the job market.

Rainfall Totals Exceed Normal

ASU's meteorological monitoring service confirmed that the first five months of the year have been wetter than usual. Month-to-date totals have exceeded the yearly annual precipitation for Boone. The Department of Geography and Planning manages the weather station. They have recorded 50.92 inches of precipitation since the first of the year. This total surpasses the usual 48.8 inches. The wet weather in the High Country can be blamed partially on El Nino. Area weather data is available at www.geo.appstate.com.

Mountaineer Sports

Mountaineer sports fans will soon be able to keep up with the latest events simply by accessing Appalachian Sports Network broadcasts on the internet. The athletic department has teamed up with the company broadcast.com to include Mountaineer sports live to listeners. Football, menÕs and women's basketball and coaches show will be highlighted. Users can download free software from the broadcast.com website. Mountaineer fans can access the broadcasts through the new website, www.goasu.com, in July.

Internal Audits Director Named

Gregory M. Lovins, an ASU alumn, has been named director of internal audits. He will be responsible for examining, reviewing, analyzing, appraising and evaluating fiscal and administrative operations. The position reports directly to the chancellor. The position was formerly filled by Carroll Brookshire, who is retiring after 30 years.

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