Last Updated on August 6, 2026 1:35 pm
Appalachian State University has released information regarding the separation of a former faculty member following an investigation into a sustained pattern of alleged sexual misconduct.
John Stanley Ross served as an Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands in the Hayes School of Music since being hired in 2006. He taught graduate and undergraduate students, supervised student teachers, advised the national band honorary fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi, and worked with the university's Cannon Music Camp. According to the university, Ross passed criminal background checks at the time of hiring that did not identify any issue that would have prevented his employment.
The university said Ross previously worked at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, a nonprofit arts education organization in Michigan, from 1992 to 2000.
According to the university's statement, App State received and immediately investigated an allegation against Ross in February 2026. During that investigation, university officials reviewed prior reports involving Ross, including a 2015 report from a group of App State students alleging sexual harassment that was not substantiated at the time, and a 2018 disclosure from a former Interlochen student — unaffiliated with App State — who said they had reported sexual harassment by Ross during his prior employment there. Because that 2018 report did not involve any conduct at App State or any App State students, university staff at the time worked with the person to connect them with supportive resources.
The university said that, taken together, the information warranted further investigation. Ross was placed on administrative leave and barred from campus while the university investigated, ultimately finding what it described as a sustained pattern of alleged sexual misconduct. On June 26, 2026, the university issued Ross a notice of intent to discharge him from employment. He remained on leave and off campus throughout the process.
Under Section 603 of The Code of the University of North Carolina, university employees facing discharge are entitled to a 14-day notice period. Before that period concluded, Ross notified the university on July 8, 2026, that he was resigning, effective July 9. The university said it did not solicit his resignation and had intended to proceed with his discharge.
App State Chancellor Heather Norris said in a statement that “the safety of our students, faculty, and staff will always be our highest priority,” adding that a pattern of misconduct violating the community's dignity is unacceptable. UNC System President Peter Hans echoed that message, saying, “We stand firmly with Chancellor Norris and Appalachian State University” in upholding safety and professional conduct standards across the system.
University leaders and support staff are reaching out directly to individuals affected, and the university said it is committed to reviewing and strengthening its reporting and support procedures ahead of the fall semester.
Anyone with information related to this or any other misconduct concern is encouraged to report it through App State's Office of Access and Opportunity: Equal Opportunity, at 828-262-2144, or through the university's online reporting form at report.appstate.edu. Additional support is available through App Cares at appcares.appstate.edu or 828-262-6156. Non-emergency after-hours assistance is available by calling App State Police Dispatch at 828-262-8000. Any immediate safety concern should be reported by calling 911.
