University of North Carolina

This article is about the 17-campus public university system in North Carolina. For the university commonly known as the "UNC" or "North Carolina", see University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For that school's athletic program, see North Carolina Tar Heels.

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.

University of North Carolina

Latin: Universitas Carolinae Septentrionalis
Type	Public university system
Established	1789 (Chapel Hill) 1972 (current structure)
President	Peter Hans^[1]
Governing body	UNC Board of Governors
Academic staff	13,564 (2008 Fall)^[2]
Administrative staff	30,664 (2008 Fall)^[2]
Students	244,507 (2021 Fall)^[3]
Undergraduates	191,517 (2021 Fall)^[3]
Postgraduates	52,990 (2021 Fall)^[3]
Location	Chapel Hill , North Carolina , United States
Campus	17 campuses
Website	www.northcarolina.edu

App State

ECU

ECSU

FSU

NCSU

Asheville

UNC

Charlotte

Pembroke

Wilmington

WCU

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University of North Carolina System locations

• Durham – NC Central and NCSSM
• Greensboro – UNC Greensboro and NC A&T
• Winston-Salem – WSSU and UNCSA

The university system has a total enrollment of 244,507 students as of fall 2021.^[3] UNC campuses conferred 62,930 degrees in 2020–2021, the bulk of which were at the bachelor's level, with 44,309 degrees awarded.^[4] In 2008, the UNC System conferred over 75% of all baccalaureate degrees in North Carolina.^[5][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 Great 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.^{[citation needed]}

Protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic

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 remote work wherever practical, and to transition to distance education.^[7]

Presidents

For presiding professors of the University of North Carolina prior to 1804, see Leaders of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

Original seal of the University of North Carolina c. 1791.

Number	Name	Term
1	Rev. Joseph Caldwell	1804–1812
2	Robert Hett Chapman	1812–1816
-	Rev. Joseph Caldwell	1816–1835
*	Elisha Mitchell *	1835
3	David Lowry Swain	1835–1868
4	Rev. Solomon Pool	1869–1872
**	Rev. Charles Phillips**	1875–1876
5	Kemp Plummer Battle	1876–1891
6	George Tayloe Winston	1891–1896
7	Edwin Anderson Alderman	1896–1900
8	Francis Preston Venable	1900–1914
9	Edward Kidder Graham	1914–1918
*	Marvin Hendrix Stacy*	1918–1919
10	Harry Woodburn Chase	1919–1930
11	Frank Porter Graham	1930–1949 (UNC Consolidation in 1931)
*	William Donald Carmichael, Jr. *	1949–1950
12	Gordon Gray	1950–1955
*	J. Harris Purks *	1955–1956
13	William Clyde Friday	1956–1986 (acting until 1957)
14	Clemmie Spangler	1986–1997
15	Molly Corbett Broad	1997–2006
16	Erskine Bowles	2006–2011
17	Thomas W. Ross	2011–2016
*	Junius J. Gonzales *	2016
18	Margaret Spellings	2016–2019
*	William L. Roper *	2019–2020^[8]
19	Peter Hans	2020- ^[1]

An asterisk (*) denotes acting president. Two asterisks (**) denotes chairman of the faculty.

Legal mandate

 

UNC Charlotte. The university expanded significantly in the 1960s and 1970s.

The legal authority and mandate for the University of North Carolina is contained in the State's first Constitution (1776),^[9] 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.^[10]

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.^[11]

• 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.^[12]

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.^[5] 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.^[13]

Official name (Previous name)	Official abbrev.	Location	Enrollment As of Fall 2019	Carnegie Classification	Founded	Athletics (Affiliation)	Joined system	Refs
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 (NCAA D-I, Sun Belt)	1972	^[14]^[15]
East Carolina University (East Carolina College, until 1967)	ECU, East Carolina (for athletics)	Greenville, Pitt County	28,651	doctoral/research university	1907	Pirates (NCAA D-I, American)	1972	^[16]^[17]
Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City State College, until 1969)	ECSU	Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County	1,772	baccalaureate college	1891	Vikings (NCAA D-II, CIAA)	1972	^[18]^[19]
Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville State College, until 1969)	FSU	Fayetteville, Cumberland County	6,551	master's university	1867	Broncos (NCAA D-II, CIAA)	1972	^[20]^[21]
North Carolina A&T 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 (NCAA D-I, CAA)	1972	^[22]^[23]
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 (NCAA D-I, MEAC)	1972	^[24]^[25]
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 (NCAA D-I, ACC)	1932	^[26]^[27]
University of North Carolina at Asheville (Asheville-Biltmore College until 1969)	UNCA or Asheville	Asheville, Buncombe County	3,600	baccalaureate college	1927	Bulldogs (NCAA D-I, Big South)	1969	^[28]^[29]
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (University of North Carolina, until 1963)	UNC-Chapel Hill,^[30]^[31] UNC-CH, North Carolina, or Carolina (for athletics)	Chapel Hill, Orange County	29,877	doctoral/research university	1789	Tar Heels (NCAA D-I, ACC)	1932	^[32]^[33]
University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte College, until 1965)	UNC Charlotte, Charlotte (for athletics)	Charlotte, Mecklenburg County	30,146	doctoral/research university	1946	49ers (NCAA D-I, American)	1965	^[34]^[35]
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 (NCAA D-I, SoCon)	1932	^[36]^[37]
University of North Carolina at Pembroke (Pembroke State University, until 1996)	UNCP	Pembroke, Robeson County	7,698	master's university	1887	Braves^[38] (NCAA D-II, Carolinas)	1972	^[39]^[40]
University of North Carolina Wilmington (Wilmington College, until 1969)	UNCW	Wilmington, New Hanover County	17,499	doctoral/research university	1947	Seahawks (NCAA D-I, CAA)	1969	^[41]^[42]
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 (N/A)	1972	^[43]^[44]
Western Carolina University (Western Carolina College, until 1967)	WCU, Western Carolina (for athletics)	Cullowhee, Jackson County	12,167	master's university	1889	Catamounts (NCAA D-I, SoCon)	1972	^[45]^[46]
Winston-Salem State University (Winston-Salem Teacher's College, until 1969)	WSSU	Winston-Salem, Forsyth County	5,124	baccalaureate college	1892	Rams (NCAA D-II, CIAA)	1972	^[47]^[48]
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics	NCSSM	Durham, Durham County	680	residential high school	1980	Unicorns (NCHSAA)	2007	^[49]^[50]

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.^[51] This does not include the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, the figure for NCSSM is taken from its own website.^[52]

The following universities became four-year institutions after their founding (date each became a four-year institution in parentheses):^{[citation needed]}

• 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.^{[citation needed]}

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 Media (PBS NC)	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

• List of colleges and universities in North Carolina
• North Carolina Community College System

References

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2. (PDF). UNC System. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
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4. "Stats, Data, & Reports". UNC System. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
5. . University of North Carolina. 2008-01-10. Archived from the original on 2008-02-13. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
6. . UNC General Administration. Archived from the original on 2011-05-11. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
7. "UNC System Updates Guidance to Constituent Institutions". from the original on 2020-03-26.
8. "UNC Health CEO, William Roper, named interim president of UNC system". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
9. "Constitution of North Carolina: December 18, 1776". avalon.law.yale.edu. 18 December 1998. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
10. "About the University". unc.edu. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
11. . North Carolina Constitution. North Carolina General Assembly. 2006. Archived from the original on 2008-09-01. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
12. "Chapter 116 – Higher Education". North Carolina General Statutes. North Carolina General Assembly. 2006. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
13. 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.
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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 system.

 

Wikisource has the text of a 1905 New International Encyclopedia article about "University of North Carolina".

• "North Carolina, University of" . Collier's New Encyclopedia. 1921.

35°54′31″N 79°2′57″W / 35.90861°N 79.04917°W / 35.90861; -79.04917