CHAPEL HILL (October 23, 2024) – UNC-Chapel Hill wants to grow its enrollment. At the same time, it has historic, 200-year-old buildings to maintain. That’s a challenge. One of the four working groups Chancellor Lee Roberts appointed last spring studied the university’s master plan for its buildings. In the accompanying video, you can tell Roberts… READ MORE
Helene’s damage to UNC System: “Nothing catastrophic”
RALEIGH (October 17, 2024) – Hurricane Helene inflicted tens of millions of dollars of damage on UNC System schools, but “nothing catastrophic,” UNC System officials said today. Jennifer Haygood, the System’s Chief Financial Officer, outlined preliminary estimates of damages at UNC Asheville, Appalachian State, Western Carolina, the NC Arboretum and the NC School of Science… READ MORE
NC Promise works. General Assembly doesn’t. Keep the Promise.
RALEIGH (October 18, 2024) – NC Promise – which promises $500-a-semester tuition at four UNC System campuses – appears to be working. The North Carolina General Assembly – which failed to adopt an updated budget this year – does not. An annual report on NC Promise, which began in Fall 2018 at Western Carolina University,… READ MORE
Roberts: What an extraordinary institution
CHAPEL HILL (October 11, 2024) – As he prepared for his formal installation today, we asked UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee Roberts what he’s learned about the university during his time as interim chancellor and, now, permanent chancellor. He had a ready answer. “Everyone who works here, everyone who’s fortunate enough to study here, knows what… READ MORE
Roberts on DEI: ‘Carolina is a place for everybody.’
CHAPEL HILL (October 11, 2024) – Court and governing-board decisions about diversity on campus seem headed a particular way at UNC-Chapel Hill. But the university’s new chancellor says the university still needs to reflect the makeup of North Carolina. “The university exists in a kind of moral trust with the people of North Carolina. We… READ MORE
Uphold the voucher veto
RALEIGH (October 4, 2024) – North Carolina legislators will soon be able to stop a massive expansion of private-school vouchers that would pose a drain on the state’s public schools. They should undoubtedly uphold Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of the bill. The bill legislators approved last month would commit $4 billion in taxpayer dollars over… READ MORE
Help with Helene recovery
RALEIGH (October 4, 2024) – The destruction Hurricane Helene brought to Western North Carolina last week was unimaginable – in fact, we still don’t know the cost. And we don’t know how long recovery will take. But if you want to assist with immediate relief, here are some places that could use your help: Blue… READ MORE
Tom Oxholm: Strong K-12 public education is vital for business
RALEIGH (September 24, 2026) – Every business leader knows that our companies are only as good as our people. But too many of us think that because North Carolina’s community colleges and universities are well-regarded and companies keep moving here, our public K-12 education must be in good shape. Wrong! Astonishingly, only about 30% of… READ MORE
Tribute to Paul Fulton on his 90th birthday
Stark differences between superintendent candidates
RALEIGH (September 18, 2024) – A debate Saturday between the candidates for North Carolina’s Superintendent of Public Instruction painted stark differences between Democrat Mo Green and Republican Michele Morrow. With little more than six weeks left until the election, recent polls have shown the race to be quite close – within the margin of error.1… READ MORE