University of North Carolina - Definition and Overview

The University of North Carolina, often called the University of North Carolina System to avoid confusion, is a federation of all sixteen public universities in North Carolina. The flagship school is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

History

The system was established in 1932 as the Consolidated University of North Carolina with three campuses; three more were added in the 1960s. It assumed its present name July 1, 1972, with the incorporation of the remaining ten state-supported four-year institutions. Its current members and the years in which they became part of the system are:

• Appalachian State University (Boone) - 1972
• East Carolina University (Greenville) - 1972
• Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City) - 1972
• Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville) - 1972
• North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (Greensboro) - 1972
• North Carolina Central University (Durham) - 1972
• North Carolina School of the Arts (Winston-Salem) - 1972
• North Carolina State University (Raleigh) - 1932
• University of North Carolina at Asheville - 1969
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - 1932
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte - 1965
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro - 1932
• University of North Carolina at Pembroke - 1972
• University of North Carolina at Wilmington - 1969
• Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) - 1972
• Winston-Salem State University (Winston-Salem) - 1972
• North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (Durham) - 1980 (residential high school, an affiliated institution)

Presidents

Consolidated University of North Carolina

• Frank Porter Graham (1932-1949)
• William D. Carmichael (acting president, 1949-1950)
• Gordon Gray (1950-1955)
• J. Harris Purks (acting president, 1955-1956)
• William C. Friday (acting president, 1956-1957; president, 1957-1972)

University of North Carolina System

• William C. Friday (1972-1986)
• C. D. Spangler (1986-1997)
• Molly Corbett Broad (1997- )

External links

• UNC System website (http://www.northcarolina.edu)