University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC System to differentiate it from its flagship, UNC-Chapel Hill.
Latin: Universitas Carolinae Septentrionalis | |
Type | Public University system |
---|---|
Established | 1789 (Chapel Hill) 1972 (current structure) |
President | William L. Roper (interim) |
Governing body | UNC Board of Governors |
Academic staff | 13,564 (fall 2008)[1] |
Administrative staff | 30,664 (2008 Fall)[1] |
Students | 239,987 (2019 Fall)[2] |
Undergraduates | 182,462 (2016 Fall)[3] |
Postgraduates | 46,062 (2016 Fall)[3] |
Location | , , United States |
Campus | 17 campuses |
Website | www |
The university system has a total enrollment of over 239,987 students and in 2008 conferred over 75% of all baccalaureate degrees in North Carolina.[4][5] UNC campuses conferred 43,686 degrees in 2008–2009, the bulk of which were at the bachelor's level, with 31,055 degrees awarded.[6]
History
Foundations
Founded in 1789, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of three schools to claim the title of oldest public university in the United States. It closed from 1871 to 1875, faced with serious financial and enrollment problems during the Reconstruction era. In 1877, the State of North Carolina began sponsoring additional higher education institutions. Over time the state added a women's college (now known as the University of North Carolina at Greensboro), a land-grant university (North Carolina State University), five historically black institutions (North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, Winston-Salem State University, Fayetteville State University, and Elizabeth City State University) and one to educate American Indians (the University of North Carolina at Pembroke). Others were created to prepare teachers for public education and to instruct performing artists.
Early consolidation
During the Depression, the North Carolina General Assembly searched for cost savings within state government. Towards this effort in 1931, it redefined the University of North Carolina, which at the time referred exclusively to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; the new Consolidated University of North Carolina was created to include the existing campuses of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State College (now North Carolina State University), and the Woman's College (now the University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The three campuses came under the leadership of a single board of trustees and a single president, with "Deans of Administration" serving as day-to-day leaders of the three campuses. In 1945, the title "Dean of Administration" was changed to "Chancellor." By 1969, three additional campuses had joined the Consolidated University through legislative action: the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Consolidation continued
In 1971, North Carolina passed legislation bringing into the University of North Carolina all 16 public institutions that confer bachelor's degrees. This latest round of consolidation gave each constituent school its own chancellor and board of trustees. In 1985, the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, the nation's first public residential high school for gifted students, was declared an affiliated school of the university. In 2007, the high school became a full member of the university.
Statewide shutdown
In March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UNC System shut down in-person instruction at all of its campuses indefinitely. In an unprecedented move to limit the spread of the disease, institutions were asked to remove as many students from on-campus housing as possible, implement teleworking wherever practical, and to transition to an online learning environment.[7]
Presidents
Name | Term |
---|---|
Rev. Joseph Caldwell | 1804–1812 |
Robert Hett Chapman | 1812–1816 |
Rev. Joseph Caldwell | 1816–1835 |
Elisha Mitchell * | 1835 |
David Lowry Swain | 1835–1868 |
Rev. Solomon Pool | 1869–1872 |
Rev. Charles Phillips | 1875–1876 |
Kemp Plummer Battle | 1876–1891 |
George Tayloe Winston | 1891–1896 |
Edwin Anderson Alderman | 1896–1900 |
Francis Preston Venable | 1900–1914 |
Edward Kidder Graham | 1914–1918 |
Marvin Hendrix Stacy | 1918–1919 |
Harry Woodburn Chase | 1919–1930 |
Frank Porter Graham | 1930–1949 (UNC Consolidation in 1931) |
William Donald Carmichael, Jr. * | 1949–1950 |
Gordon Gray | 1950–1955 |
J. Harris Purks * | 1955–1956 |
William Clyde Friday | 1956–1986 (acting until 1957) |
Clemmie Spangler | 1986–1997 |
Molly Corbett Broad | 1997–2006 |
Erskine Bowles | 2006–2011 |
Thomas W. Ross | 2011–2016 |
Junius J. Gonzales * | 2016 |
Margaret Spellings | 2016–2019 |
William L. Roper * | 2019–2020[8] |
Peter Hans | 2020- [9] |
An asterisk (*) denotes acting president.
Legal mandate
The legal authority and mandate for the University of North Carolina is contained in the State's first Constitution (1776),[10] which provided in Article XLI
That a school or schools shall be established by the Legislature, for the convenient instruction of youth, ... and all useful learning shall be duly encouraged, and promoted, in one or more universities,
The state legislature granted a charter and funding for the university in 1789.[11]
Article IX of the 1971 North Carolina Constitution deals with all forms of public education in the state. Sections 8 and 9 of that article address higher education.[12]
- Sec. 8. Higher education.
The General Assembly shall maintain a public system of higher education, comprising The University of North Carolina and such other institutions of higher education as the General Assembly may deem wise. The General Assembly shall provide for the selection of trustees of The University of North Carolina and of the other institutions of higher education, in whom shall be vested all the privileges, rights, franchises, and endowments heretofore granted to or conferred upon the trustees of these institutions. The General Assembly may enact laws necessary and expedient for the maintenance and management of The University of North Carolina and the other public institutions of higher education.
- Sec. 9. Benefits of public institutions of higher education.
The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of The University of North Carolina and other public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State free of expense.
Statutory provisions stipulate the current function and cost to students of the University of North Carolina.[13]
Institutions
Within its seventeen campuses, UNC houses two medical schools and one teaching hospital, ten nursing programs, two schools of dentistry, one veterinary school and hospital, and a school of pharmacy, as well as a two law schools, 15 schools of education, three schools of engineering, and a school for performing artists.[4] The oldest university, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, first admitted students in 1795. The smallest and newest member is the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, a residential two-year high school, founded in 1980 and a full member of the University since 2007. The largest university is North Carolina State University, with 34,340 students as of fall 2012.
While the official names of each campus are determined by the North Carolina General Assembly, abbreviations are determined by the individual school.[14]
Official name (Previous name) |
Official abbrev. | Location | Enrollment As of Fall 2019 |
Carnegie Classification | Founded | Nickname | Joined system | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appalachian State University (Appalachian State Teacher's College, until 1967) |
ASU, App State (for athletics) |
Boone, Watauga County | 19,280 | master's university | 1899 | Mountaineers | 1972 | [15][16] |
East Carolina University (East Carolina College, until 1967) |
ECU, East Carolina (for athletics) |
Greenville, Pitt County | 28,651 | doctoral/research university | 1907 | Pirates | 1972 | [17][18] |
Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City State College, until 1969) |
ECSU | Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County | 1,772 | baccalaureate college | 1891 | Vikings | 1972 | [19][20] |
Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville State College, until 1969) |
FSU | Fayetteville, Cumberland County | 6,551 | master's university | 1867 | Broncos | 1972 | [21][22] |
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (The Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina, until 1969) |
NC A&T | Greensboro, Guilford County | 12,556 | doctoral/research university | 1891 | Aggies | 1972 | [23][24] |
North Carolina Central University (North Carolina College at Durham, until 1969) |
NCCU, NC Central (for athletics) |
Durham, Durham County | 8,011 | master's university | 1909 | Eagles | 1972 | [25][26] |
North Carolina State University (North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering, until 1963) |
NCSU, NC State or State (for athletics) |
Raleigh, Wake County | 36,304 | doctoral/research university | 1887 | Wolfpack | 1932 | [27][28] |
University of North Carolina at Asheville (Asheville-Biltmore College until 1969) |
UNCA or Asheville |
Asheville, Buncombe County | 3,600 | baccalaureate college | 1927 | Bulldogs | 1969 | [29][30] |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (University of North Carolina, until 1963) |
UNC-Chapel Hill,[31][32] UNC-CH, North Carolina, or Carolina (for athletics) |
Chapel Hill, Orange County | 29,877 | doctoral/research university | 1789 | Tar Heels | 1932 | [33][34] |
University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte College, until 1965) |
UNC Charlotte, Charlotte (for athletics) |
Charlotte, Mecklenburg County | 29,615 | doctoral/research university | 1946 | 49ers | 1965 | [35][36] |
University of North Carolina at Greensboro (The Woman's College of the University of North Carolina, until 1963) |
UNCG | Greensboro, Guilford County | 20,196 | doctoral/research university | 1891 | Spartans | 1932 | [37][38] |
University of North Carolina at Pembroke (Pembroke State University, until 1996) |
UNCP | Pembroke, Robeson County | 7,698 | master's university | 1887 | Braves[39] | 1972 | [40][41] |
University of North Carolina Wilmington (Wilmington College, until 1969) |
UNCW | Wilmington, New Hanover County | 17,499 | doctoral/research university | 1947 | Seahawks | 1969 | [42][43] |
University of North Carolina School of the Arts (North Carolina School of the Arts, until 2008) |
UNCSA | Winston-Salem, Forsyth County | 1,086 | special-focus institution | 1963 | The Fighting Pickle | 1972 | [44][45] |
Western Carolina University (Western Carolina College, until 1967) |
WCU, Western Carolina (for athletics) |
Cullowhee, Jackson County | 12,167 | master's university | 1889 | Catamounts | 1972 | [46][47] |
Winston-Salem State University (Winston-Salem Teacher's College, until 1969) |
WSSU | Winston-Salem, Forsyth County | 5,124 | baccalaureate college | 1892 | Rams | 1972 | [48][49] |
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics | NCSSM | Durham, Durham County | 680 | residential high school | 1980 | Unicorns | 2007 | [50][51] |
Notes
The enrollment numbers are the official headcounts (including all full-time and part-time, undergrad and postgrad students) from University of North Carolina website.[52] This does not include the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, the figure for NCSSM is taken from its own website.[53]
The following universities became four-year institutions after their founding (date each became a four-year institution in parentheses):
- East Carolina University (1920)
- North Carolina Central University (1925)
- Winston-Salem State University (1925)
- Western Carolina University (1929)
- Appalachian State University (1929)
- Elizabeth City State University (1937)
- University of North Carolina at Pembroke (1939)
- Fayetteville State University (1939)
- University of North Carolina at Asheville (1963)
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1963)
- University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1963)
With the exception of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, the institutions that joined the University of North Carolina in 1972 did so under their current name. As of 1972, all public four-year institutions in North Carolina are members of the University.
Affiliates
Name | Location | Founded |
---|---|---|
North Carolina Arboretum | Asheville, Buncombe County | 1989 |
North Carolina Center for International Understanding | Raleigh, Wake County | |
North Carolina Center for Nursing | Raleigh, Wake County | |
North Carolina State Approving Agency | Raleigh, Wake County | |
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority | Raleigh, Wake County | |
UNC Center for Public Television (UNC-TV) | Research Triangle Park, Durham County | 1955 |
UNC Faculty Assembly | Chapel Hill, Orange County | |
University of North Carolina Press | Chapel Hill, Orange County | 1922 |
UNC Staff Assembly | Chapel Hill, Orange County |
See also
References
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- "Facts & Figures". UNC System. Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
- "Facts & Figures". Northcarolina.edu. Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
- "University Facts". University of North Carolina. 2008-01-10. Archived from the original on 2008-02-13. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "About UNC". UNC General Administration. Archived from the original on 2011-05-11. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
- "Facts & Figures". UNC General Administration. Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
- "UNC System Updates Guidance to Constituent Institutions | UNC System Office". www.northcarolina.edu. Archived from the original on 2020-03-26. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
- "UNC Health CEO, William Roper, named interim president of UNC system". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- Seltzer, Rick (June 22, 2020). "UNC System Names New President". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- "Constitution of North Carolina: December 18, 1776". avalon.law.yale.edu. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
- "About the University". unc.edu. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
- "Article IX". North Carolina Constitution. North Carolina General Assembly. 2006. Archived from the original on 2008-09-01. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
- "Chapter 116 – Higher Education". North Carolina General Statutes. North Carolina General Assembly. 2006. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
- Wootson, Cleve R. Jr. (2002-01-08). "UNC Leaders Want Abbreviation Change". The Daily Tar Heel. Archived from the original on 2008-12-04. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
- "Appalachian State University" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "Appalachian State University" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "East Carolina University" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "East Carolina University" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "Elizabeth City State University" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "Elizabeth City State University" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "Fayetteville State University" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "Fayetteville State University" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "North Carolina Central University" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "North Carolina Central University" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
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- "Serving UNC students and the community since 1893". The Daily Tar Heel. 2010-07-08. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
- Oh, Four Oh Four. Media.www.dailytarheel.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-29.
- "University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "University of North Carolina at Charlotte" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "University of North Carolina at Charlotte" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "University of North Carolina at Greensboro" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "University of North Carolina at Greensboro" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-02-15. Retrieved 2015-02-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "University of North Carolina at Pembroke" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "University of North Carolina at Pembroke" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "University of North Carolina at Wilmington" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "University of North Carolina at Wilmington" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "North Carolina School of the Arts" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "North Carolina School of the Arts" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "Western Carolina University" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
- "Western Carolina University" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
- "Winston-Salem State University" (PDF). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "Winston-Salem State University" (PDF). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- "North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics". Retrieved 2008-03-29.
- "NCSSM Fast Facts". North Carolina School of Science and Math. Archived from the original on 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
- "University of North Carolina Facts". Archived from the original on 2010-05-27.
- "North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Facts". Archived from the original on 2008-09-19.
Further reading
- McGrath, Eileen, and Linda Jacobson. "The Great Depression and Its Impact on an Emerging Research Library: The University of North Carolina Library, 1929–1941," Libraries and the Cultural Record, (2011), 46#3 pp 295–320.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to University of North Carolina at Charlotte. |
Wikisource has the text of a 1905 New International Encyclopedia article about University of North Carolina. |
. Collier's New Encyclopedia. 1921.