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Education

Education goals

More North Carolinians in their prime working years are earning college degrees or post-high-school educational credentials, but the state still isn’t on track to meet its attainment goals. As of 2023, not quite 1.7 million of residents age 25 to 44 had a degree, completion certificate, license or some other...

By Ray Gronberg

February 24, 2025

UNC Chapel Hill lawsuit

UNC Chapel Hill is getting sued once again by a Raleigh attorney who contends it’s been breaking the state’s Public Records Law to hide its dealings with a law firm hired to advise the university on athletics matters. Filed Wednesday in Orange County Superior Court, lawyer David McKenzie’s suit alleges...

By Ray Gronberg

February 21, 2025

The arguing about where to put the Dean Dome’s replacement has already begun

In the that-didn’t-take-long department, there’s a petition circulating in Chapel Hill that opposes the idea of building UNC Chapel Hill’s next basketball arena somewhere on the former site of the university’s airport. It argues the project should go on “a campus-connected location” that among other things “ensures continued foot traffic...

By Ray Gronberg

February 20, 2025

UNCC scores $7.2M for measurement center

UNC Charlotte will get a $7.2 million gift to help pay for the work of the university’s Center for Precision Metrology, officials reported to campus trustees this week. The pledge comes from Graham Siddall, a native of Great Britain who’s considered a leading figure in the science of measurement, a field vital...

By Ray Gronberg

February 14, 2025

Community colleges’ Boost

With help from a $35.6 million foundation grant, N.C. Community Colleges leaders are launching an effort they think will help some students at 15 of their campuses finish their degrees and get into the workforce more quickly. Modeled on a City University of New York initiative, the system’s Boost program...

By Ray Gronberg

February 6, 2025

UNC System works on its 2025 wish lists

Going into this week’s Board of Governors meeting, UNC System officials and campuses are reckoning this will be another year of holding the line against any increase of in-state tuition. Which is not to say the same’s true for other kinds of tuition and fees. Seven of the system’s 16...

By Ray Gronberg

January 28, 2025

More dorms at UNC

UNC Chapel Hill trustees have given Chancellor Lee Roberts and his aides permission to spend up to $8 million to begin planning a new, 600-bed dormitory for a site somewhere on campus. Approved Thursday, the move is the first step in a broader initiative that could see the institution add...

By Ray Gronberg

January 27, 2025

UNC-CH’s yield rate: Too low?

Reader Travis Fain, late of WRAL, questioned Thursday’s Trib item on enrollment expansion at UNC Chapel Hill that reported that only 45.4% of recent high school grads enrolled there after receiving an admissions offer. That “seems low for a flagship,” he said. Actually, it’s pretty decent for public-system flagships. In...

By Ray Gronberg

January 27, 2025

Chapel Hill, UNC and growth

UNC Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee Roberts’ push to expand enrollment at his institution by 5,000 students begs a couple questions, the first being why now, and the second being why hasn’t it been growing all along. Though there’s undoubtedly some economic factors too, the why now is partly a function...

By Ray Gronberg

January 24, 2025

Roberts: UNC-CH to jumpstart enrollment growth

UNC Chapel Hill will jumpstart the process of enrollment growth by adding 500 students to the fall 2025 class, Chancellor Lee Roberts says. Speaking to a trustees committee, Roberts termed this “an important down payment” on what’s to come and added that he believes the university can accommodate the additional...

By Ray Gronberg

January 23, 2025

UNC-CH growth

If personnel is policy, UNC Chapel Hill leaders want to position their institution to finally start building things on the former airport property off Chapel Hill’s Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. A job posting that was scheduled to close on Monday sought applicants for a new “executive director for real...

By Ray Gronberg

January 21, 2025

Sen. Burgin, unchained

Burgin’s comments at Thursday’s confab also touched on potential legislative issues. For starters, he told participants to expect legislators to introduce a bill in the upcoming long session that addresses the use of cell phones by students in K-12 schools. He said he’s heard from principals who report that over...

By Ray Gronberg

January 3, 2025

“Propel NC” funding

The N.C. Community College System will enter 2025 with some unfinished legislative business, namely the approval of the so-called “Propel NC” rework of its funding model. Though supported by the House and departing Gov. Roy Cooper, the proposal stalled amid 2024’s House-Senate short session budget impasse. Eventually, legislators agreed on...

By Ray Gronberg

December 31, 2024

Community colleges will need more investment to compete says Cooper

North Carolina’s community colleges are going to need more money if they’re to keep up with the demands the state’s economy is putting on them, outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper says. “They already see how the new paying jobs that are coming in will require all kinds of training that they’re...

By Ray Gronberg

December 30, 2024

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