The UNC System celebrated its 50th anniversary, commemorating the founding of the 16-campus university system and officially swearing in its seventh president.
The anniversary was marked Tuesday morning at NC State, featuring musical performances from students and the inauguration of UNC System President Peter Hans.
Informally starting his role as president in August of 2020, Hans said this anniversary is both a moment of pride and reflection as we ponder the legacy of higher education in the state.
“Our role as a university is to speak to the ambitions of all North Carolinians, even those who will never set foot on our campuses,” Hans said. “Our work is about teaching and learning in the classroom and preparing people for the jobs of the future and the incredible discoveries being researched in the lab. But it’s also about building a country that can hold together and forging an educational system that speaks to the needs of all North Carolinians.”
Originally, the UNC System consisted of six universities: NC State, alongside UNC Asheville, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Greensboro, and Wilmington. In 1971, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation to bring the state’s 10 remaining public senior institutions into the system.
“Now bringing these proud institutions together 50 years ago was not just an act of administrative efficiency or political engineering,” Hans said. “It was a powerful statement of shared interest and acknowledgement that our fate, as a people truly is tied together.”
The UNC System is controlled by the Board of Governors, which is responsible for the planning, development, and overall governance of the UNC System. The 24-member board is also responsible for electing the system president.
In his remarks, Hans said it’s time for the Board of Governors to address its obligations to adult learners, veterans, and underserved populations, stating, “there’s more than one path to success.”
“We leave the field wide open to bad actors if we fail to change the curriculum to meet the changing needs of our citizens,” Hans said. “We contribute to widening inequality. We must stand alongside the very people who need us the most and enable their dreams to take flight.”
At the inauguration and celebration, Chair of the Board of Governors Randy Ramsey said the UNC System is one of the strongest and most diverse higher education systems in the country, with more than $1.5 billion in research expenditures.
“Today, we have nearly 250,000 students. Our campuses, including our historic with and American Indian universities have grown to become some of the most distinguished in our entire nation. We’ve established medical schools, law schools, and the nation’s first ever residential high school for gifted students. We worked hard to make our universities affordable, providing college access to more North Carolinians than ever before.”
When the UNC System was first formed 50 years ago, total enrollment was just more than 87,500 students, roughly a third of what it is today. As the university system continues to grow and adapt to the changing needs of its students, Hans said his sights are set on a brighter future, whether that be in the next five years or at the UNC System’s 100th anniversary.
“Together, we will commit to our fellow citizens to provide a higher education that you can afford, that fits your needs,” Hans said, “where you will feel welcome and belong regardless of your backgrounds and your beliefs, and that we will leave you better off than when you started. That’s the vision that we’ll pay forward to future generations. My heart is filled with gratitude and optimism.”
Lead photo via UNC System.
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