Stephenson named director of public safety and chief of police at Appalachian

View larger image — Andy Stephenson will join Appalachian in mid-June as director of public safety and chief of police. Photo courtesy of Tracy James, Indiana University

Posted May 19, 2017 at 9 a.m.

BOONE, N.C.—Andy Stephenson has accepted the position of director of public safety and chief of police in the Office of Business Affairs at Appalachian State University, effective June 19. Stephenson joins Appalachian from Indiana University (IU), where he served as captain with oversight of all divisions within the police department.

Stephenson has more than 20 years of experience in university police and public safety. He holds a Master of Science in criminal justice from Boston University (BU) and has been an adjunct professor in the Criminal Justice Department at Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis.

Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Paul Forte said Stephenson “brings a high level of expertise and professionalism to this position. His experience on a university campus will serve him well.”

Originally from Bloomington, Indiana, Stephenson graduated from Bloomington North High School and played football during college.

“When the NFL didn’t come knocking on my door, I returned to IU to finish my undergraduate degree,” he was quoted as saying in an Indiana University profile. “I became involved in the IUPD cadet program.”

He graduated first in his class from the IU Police Academy in 1996, earned his master’s from BU and joined IUPD Bloomington full time in 1997. Stephenson was promoted to lieutenant in 2010 and attended the FBI National Academy in 2015. He was promoted to captain in 2016.

“I was always interested in a career in law enforcement,” Stephenson said. “There was nothing else I considered.”

In his announcement, Forte thanked the campus community for its high level of participation and the search committee members for their diligence and leadership during this national search.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.