UNC Faculty Attend President Input Sessions, Deliver the Message that North Carolina Needs a Strong Advocate for Investments in Instruction and Scholarship

Update: In an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education about the politics of the UNC president search, Faculty Forward North Carolina’s work was highlighted:  “A faculty survey on the presidential search netted more than 4,000 responses, and groups like Faculty Forward, which is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, are collecting petitions to advocate for more spending on instruction, keeping tuition low, and including nontenured faculty members in shared governance.”

As the University of North Carolina  Board of Governors searches for a new president, UNC faculty, students, alumni, tenure line faculty, and non-tenure line faculty calling for a new president who recommits to this mission by:
  • Prioritizing resources toward UNC’s core mission, student instruction and scholarship
  • Making UNC an affordable place for all students by controlling rising tuition rate
  • Increasing transparency by including all faculty in the UNC decision-making process

At the regional input sessions in late May and June 1, faculty delivered a petition with hundreds of supporters for a Presidential candidate who is outcomes-driven and focused on the university as a place for faculty instruction and research. Please add your voice, and see some of the local coverage of the regional meetings.

It’s clear the health and mission of the UNC System is in crisis.Against our state’s constitution, students are being priced out of a college degree in the UNC System.

  • The median debt for a UNC Grad is now $21,960.
  • Average in-state tuition at UNC schools has gone up 122% in ten years.
  • The net price (what people pay after scholarships, grants and other aid) has gone up 35%, which is double the regional average.

While corporations have recovered from the recession and are getting massive tax breaks, students and faculty are paying the price.

  • The state is spending 23% less on higher education than before the great recession, nearly $3,000 less per student, adjusted for inflation.
  • Roughly a third of UNC revenue is spent on instruction.
  • Nearly half of all UNC faculty do not have access to tenure, an increase of 166% in ten years.
  • Corporations may get their tax rate cut in half in the next two years, costing North Carolina $349 million.

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