RALEIGH (November 16, 2021) – Peter Hans is the seventh president of the University of North Carolina System. But he’s the first in his family to graduate from college.

So as he was inaugurated Tuesday on the 50th anniversary of creation of the System, Hans, 51, stressed that the University must be open to a broader array of students – adult learners with families and jobs, or those who’ve tried college but didn’t finish.

The university has 17 diverse institutions that have served different needs over its history – the oldest public university, land-grant institutions, teachers’ colleges, historically black and minority-serving institutions.

“There cannot be just one path to success in North Carolina – our state is too big and diverse for that,” Hans said during the event at NC State University’s Hunt Library. “The benefits of higher education must be extended to more North Carolinians. That is our mission of public service. That is our calling.”

It’s about much more than better jobs, he said, noting that some of the country’s sharpest divides are between college graduates and non-graduates.

“Broadening our vision of who college is for and who our institutions of higher education are meant to serve is about the health of our country in the deepest sense. It’s about bridging the political and cultural divisions that have eroded our sense of community and made our public life so discouraging in recent years,” Hans said.

“We cannot have a healthy democracy if dignity is reserved for degree holders. And we cannot have a healthy economy unless everyone has opportunities to advance and prosper outside of traditional programs,” he said, hinting at a new online initiative from the university system. 

“There must be multiple paths to success and respect in our state.”

Hans said the University must build trust, noting that “multitudes” nationwide have some college, but no degree, and face monthly student loan payments without the increased income that normally accompanies a degree.

As a small example of trust-building, he cited common course-numbering for introductory classes at universities and community colleges “so that if you’re among the one-third of students who start out at one place and transfer to another, you don’t need a PhD in differential equations to figure out which of your credits will go with you.

“That’s the kind of practical good housekeeping our citizens and students need from us – infrastructure in higher education that works so well it fades into the background,” he said, adding that a university’s best work is often done quietly.

Yet on the 50th anniversary of the UNC System, “Let’s not forget it was a contentious idea,” he said, noting political fights and back room deals that accompanied creation of the system after Gov. Scott proposed a 16-campus system in 1970.

“There has never been a placid consensus about higher education – about what to teach, who to teach it to, and how much it should cost,” Hans said. “And I’m glad for that because it means people care.”

Adding that the state can still unite around common goals, he said, “Together we commit to our fellow citizens to provide a higher education that you can afford and that fits your needs, where you will feel welcome and belong regardless of your background or beliefs, and that will leave you better off than when you started.”

UNC SYSTEM TIMELINE:  https://www.northcarolina.edu/50th-anniversary/