CHAPEL HILL (April 22, 2021) – The UNC Board of Governors voted today to allow the UNC System’s five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to raise enrollment of out-of-state students to as much as 25% of each freshman class.
“This will improve the stability of these campuses,” UNC System President Peter Hans said.
Hans noted that North Carolina has more public HBCUs than any other state, and all five rank among the top 25 HBCUs in the country. But they have experienced underinvestment over time and need to be at full strength, he said.
The UNC System has limited out-of-state enrollment to 18% of each incoming class, with limited exceptions, since 1986. But N.C. A&T State and Elizabeth City State Universities have already received waivers to raise out-of-state enrollment to 25%, Hans said. N.C. A&T is now the nation’s largest HBCU.
Because out-of-state students pay tuition to cover the full cost of their education, Hans said more out-of-state students will improve the finances not only of the universities, but of their auxiliary services such as housing and dining.
And because out-of-state students must meet higher admission standards, they should also improve graduation rates – the students often remain in North Carolina after graduation, he said.1
Board Chair Randy Ramsey said each of the state’s HBCUs has capacity to admit more out-of-state students without displacing North Carolina students. Hans and Ramsey made it clear they do not intend to expand the 25% cap beyond the HBCUs to any UNC campuses, though.
“I do not have any appetite for doing this at any other campuses,” said Ramsey.
The proposal even won support from board member Marty Kotis, who normally opposes increases in out-of-state students based on the state constitution’s mandate to provide the benefits of the University to the people of the state.
“Not the people of other states,” Kotis said. But if some campuses are under-enrolled, Kotis said, he would “reluctantly” support the increase.
Board member David Powers asked whether military students stationed at North Carolina bases should be included as in-state students, and Hans replied that that might require a change in state law.
But Leo Daughtry, Chair of the board’s Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, said that due to a change in federal law, the UNC System can now offer in-state tuition to military and veterans in the state.
“We are going to see an influx of very-qualified veterans coming into our System,” he said.
THE BOARD HAD A LENGTHIER DEBATE over whether to fine NC Central University for exceeding the 18% cap last fall, when 27.9% of its freshman class came from out of state.
“I think it’s almost contradictory to what we just voted on (raising the out-of-state cap) to penalize them,” said Ramsey.
Others felt NCCU should be held accountable.
“If you don’t enforce the policy, you really don’t have a policy,” said board member Steve Long.
But Budget and Finance Committee Chair Temple Sloan that the UNC System Office created confusion by failing to enforce the cap at times and said each campus, including NCCU, deserves a one-year warning.
NCCU Chancellor Johnson Akinleye acknowledged that the university violated the policy.
“There is clearly a recognition on our part that we did not do what we are supposed to do,” Akinleye said. “NCCU is committed to this policy.”
A divided board then voted to waive the penalty. “I would rather that students from out of state be in those seats than that they be empty,” said board member C. Philip Byers.
1 https://hew.aveltsagency.com/2021/04/hans-raising-out-of-state-cap-a-win-win-win/.
Leave a Reply