Just one day before thousands of students would line up to take a sip from the Old Well on UNC’s campus, a smaller group gathered to celebrate its reopening with a new, inclusionary feature.

Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz, UNC Trustee John Preyer, and Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations Nathan Knuffman welcomed wheelchair users and others to a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sunday for the famed landmark’s updated accessibility ramp. The Old Well closed in May to construct a granite ramp and lower the installation’s height, which led to it being fenced off to visitors through the summer. The feature replaces a temporary ramp that was in place for the prior academic year, but was longer and steeper.

“The Old Well is one of the most photographed icons in our state,” Guskiewicz said at the ceremony. “Yet for decades, it hasn’t been truly accessible to every member of our community. That changes today, and I am so grateful to the many people who worked together to make this possible. I want to thank our students for their advocacy on this critical issue for our campus. You, our students, are our top priority and our goal is to give you the best opportunity to learn and grow. Your dedication to being inclusive and welcoming to all our students is inspiring.”

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the Old Well on August 20, 2023, to celebrate the completion of a new sloped pathway which improves accessibility for visitors. In this image, Kathryn Sorensen, an assistant clinical professor in the Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy within the School of Medicine and 2004 UNC graduate, makes us of the new sloped pathway. (Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill)

UNC said it ensured that the granite used to construct the ramp matched the stone that makes up the well’s base, which was installed in 1954 as a replacement to the 1897 rotunda built around the well. The landmark itself dates back to the university’s founding in 1795.

Reopening the well on Sunday was a key timeline for the university — as Monday was the first day of classes for the 2023-24 academic year and when students prepared for an annual tradition. Campus lore says a sip from the Old Well on the first day of class helps students’ maintain a 4.0 GPA, and the campus fountain saw many visitors drop by to use the new ramp and updated base.

To learn more about The Old Well, visit UNC’s webpage dedicated to its history.

 

Featured photo via Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Trustees Talk Affirmative Action, Accessibility at First Meeting of 2023-24
UNC Board of Trustees officially barred use of 'race, sex, color or ethnicity' in admissions, complying with Supreme Court case decision.
Don't Worry: UNC Cleaned Up 'Vandalism' at Old Well Before Classes Began
As is tradition, hundreds of UNC students lined up at the Old Well on Cameron Avenue throughout Monday to celebrate the start of the new academic year. Just hours before, however, the famous fountain’s bowl was reportedly used more like a toilet bowl. An Instagram post from the account @tarheelbarstool on Tuesday afternoon shared a […]
UNC Police: Old Well Damaged by Vandals, Photo of Suspects Shared
The iconic landmark of the UNC campus in Chapel Hill has been vandalized, according to university police. The UNC Police Department shared an alert on Monday, saying the Old Well on East Cameron Avenue suffered damage after part of the historic structure was pushed over. Police said the vandalism occurred between late Saturday night and […]
UNC's Old Well to Undergo Renovations, Add Accessibility Ramp
The Old Well on the UNC campus will be renovated this summer to improve accessibility at the local landmark, the school announced Wednesday. The project will include the installation of a sloped granite walkway which connects surrounding brick pavers with the well’s upper platform, replacing a temporary ramp added in recent years. Renovations are expected […]
UNC Hosts Conference on Grappling with History of Slavery, Racial Injustice
UNC's Commission on History, Race and A Way Forward is hosting the conference to discuss its work to better contextualize university history.
UNC Police: 'Multiple' Scooter, Bike Thefts on Reported Campus in October
At least seven reports of stolen e-scooters, bicycles, and e-bikes in the month of October led UNC Police to issue a campus-wide alert.
UNC Police Ask Public For Help While Searching For Assault Suspect
The UNC Police Department shared Wednesday it is searching for a suspect in an assault that reportedly took place at the Old Well on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Campus police shared a pair of photos of the suspect on its social media accounts, showing them wearing a mask and holding a rainbow umbrella. According to UNC […]
'I Will Never Retreat': UNC Professor Highlights Free Speech, Resolution in Beliefs in Return After Leave
By about 2 p.m. on Wednesday, UNC professor Dwayne Dixon would be back in front of his ASIA 150 class for instruction like normal. But a few hours before that, he was still addressing the abnormal circumstances surrounding him from being put onto administrative leave the prior week. Dixon, members of the American Association of […]
UNC Completes Investigation, Reinstates Professor After 'No Basis' to Advocacy of Political Violence
UNC reinstated Professor Dwayne Dixon on Friday after a "robust" review of claims he advocated for politically motivated violence.
UNC Investigates Professor Over Ties to Anti-Racist Group; Rally Held in His Support
As a UNC professor is on administrative leave for his advocacy of alleged politically-motivated violence, supporters led a rally on Wednesday.
›