University of North Carolina - wikipedia University of North Carolina This article is about the 17 - campus public university system in North Carolina. Some references to the `` University of North Carolina '', such as in NCAA college athletics, may be specifically referring to the university 's founding campus. For that campus, see University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For that school 's athletic program, see North Carolina Tar Heels. University of North Carolina Latin : Universitat Carol Septet Type Public University system Established 1789 ( Chapel Hill ) 1972 ( current structure ) President Margaret Spellings Academic staff 13,564 ( 2008 Fall ) Administrative staff 30,664 ( 2008 Fall ) Students 228,524 ( 2016 Fall ) Undergraduates 182,462 ( 2016 Fall ) Postgraduates 46,062 ( 2016 Fall ) Location Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S. Campus 17 campuses state - wide Website www.northcarolina.edu The University of North Carolina is a multi-campus public university system composed of all 16 of North Carolina 's public universities, as well as the NC School of Science and Mathematics, the nation 's first public residential high school for gifted students. Commonly referred to as the University of North Carolina system or the UNC system to differentiate it from the original campus in Chapel Hill, the university has a total enrollment of over 183,001 students and confers over 75 % of all baccalaureate degrees in North Carolina in 2008. UNC campuses conferred 43,686 degrees for 2008 -- 2009, the bulk of which were Bachelor 's level with 31,055 degrees awarded. Contents 1 History 2 Legal mandate 3 Institutions 3.1 Notes 4 Affiliates 5 Presidents 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External links History Founded in 1789, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of three schools to claim the title of oldest public university in the United States. It closed from 1871 to 1875, faced with serious financial and enrollment problems during the Reconstruction era. In 1877, the State of North Carolina began sponsoring additional higher education institutions. Over time the state added a women 's college ( now known as the University of North Carolina at Greensboro ), a land - grant university ( North Carolina State University ), five historically black institutions ( North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, Winston - Salem State University, Fayetteville State University, and Elizabeth City State University ) and one to educate American Indians ( the University of North Carolina at Pembroke ). Others were created to prepare teachers for public education and to instruct performing artists. During the Depression, the North Carolina General Assembly searched for cost savings within state government. Towards this effort in 1931, it redefined the University of North Carolina, which at the time referred exclusively to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ; the new Consolidated University of North Carolina was created to include the existing campuses of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The three campuses came under the leadership of just one board and one president. By 1969, three additional campuses had joined the Consolidated University through legislative action : the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. In 1971, North Carolina passed legislation bringing into the University of North Carolina all 16 public institutions that confer bachelor 's degrees. This round of consolidation granted each constituent institution a Chancellor and a Board of Trustees. In 1985, the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, a residential high school for gifted students, was declared an affiliated school of the university. In 2007, the high school became a full member of the university. Legal mandate The legal authority and mandate for the University of North Carolina is contained in the State 's first Constitution ( 1776 ), which provided in Article XLI That a school or schools shall be established by the Legislature, for the convenient instruction of youth,... and all useful learning shall be duly encouraged, and promoted, in one or more universities, The state legislature did not get around to granting a charter for the University until 1789. Article IX of the current version of the North Carolina Constitution deals with all forms of public education in the state. Sections 8 and 9 of that article address higher education. Sec. 8. Higher education. The General Assembly shall maintain a public system of higher education, comprising The University of North Carolina and such other institutions of higher education as the General Assembly may deem wise. The General Assembly shall provide for the selection of trustees of The University of North Carolina and of the other institutions of higher education, in whom shall be vested all the privileges, rights, franchises, and endowments heretofore granted to or conferred upon the trustees of these institutions. The General Assembly may enact laws necessary and expedient for the maintenance and management of The University of North Carolina and the other public institutions of higher education. Sec. 9. Benefits of public institutions of higher education. The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of The University of North Carolina and other public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State free of expense. Statutory provisions stipulate the current function and cost to students of the University of North Carolina. UNC Charlotte. The university expanded significantly in the 1960s and 1970s. Institutions Within its seventeen campuses, UNC houses two medical schools and one teaching hospital, ten nursing programs, two schools of dentistry, one veterinary school and hospital, and a school of pharmacy, as well as a two law schools, 15 schools of education, three schools of engineering, and a school for performing artists. The oldest university, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, first admitted students in 1795. The smallest and newest member is the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, a residential two - year high school, founded in 1980 and a full member of the University since 2007. The largest university is North Carolina State University, with 34,340 students as of fall 2012. While the official names of each campus are determined by the North Carolina General Assembly, abbreviations are determined by the individual school. Official name ( Previous name ) Official abbrev. Location Enrollment As of Fall 2016 Carnegie Classification Founded Nickname Joined system References Appalachian State University ( Appalachian State Teacher 's College, until 1967 ) ASU, App State ( for athletics ) Boone, Watauga County 18,295 Master 's University 1899 Mountaineers 1972 East Carolina University ( East Carolina College, until 1967 ) ECU, East Carolina ( for athletics ) Greenville, Pitt County 28,962 Doctoral / Research University 1907 Pirates 1972 Elizabeth City State University ( Elizabeth City State College, until 1969 ) ECSU Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County 1,357 Baccalaureate College 1891 Vikings 1972 Fayetteville State University ( Fayetteville State College, until 1969 ) FSU Fayetteville, Cumberland County 6,223 Master 's University 1867 Broncos 1972 North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ( The Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina, until 1969 ) NC A&T Greensboro, Guilford County 11,177 Doctoral / Research University 1891 Aggies 1972 North Carolina Central University ( North Carolina College at Durham, until 1969 ) NCCU, NC Central ( for athletics ) Durham, Durham County 8,094 Master 's University 1909 Eagles 1972 North Carolina State University ( North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering, until 1963 ) NCSU, NC State or State ( for athletics ) Raleigh, Wake County 33,755 Doctoral / Research University 1887 Wolfpack 1932 University of North Carolina at Asheville ( Asheville - Biltmore College until 1969 ) UNCA or Asheville Asheville, Buncombe County 3,821 Baccalaureate College 1927 Bulldogs 1969 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ( University of North Carolina, until 1963 ) UNC - Chapel Hill, UNC - CH, North Carolina, or Carolina ( for athletics ) Chapel Hill, Orange County 29,468 Doctoral / Research University 1789 Tar Heels 1932 University of North Carolina at Charlotte ( Charlotte College, until 1965 ) UNC Charlotte, Charlotte ( for athletics ) Charlotte, Mecklenburg County 28,721 Doctoral / Research University 1946 49ers 1965 University of North Carolina at Greensboro ( The Woman 's College of the University of North Carolina, until 1963 ) UNCG Greensboro, Guilford County 19,647 Doctoral / Research University 1891 Spartans 1932 University of North Carolina at Pembroke ( Pembroke State University, until 1996 ) UNCP Pembroke, Robeson County 6,268 Master 's University 1887 Braves 1972 University of North Carolina at Wilmington ( Wilmington College, until 1969 ) UNCW Wilmington, New Hanover County 15,740 Master 's University 1947 Seahawks 1969 University of North Carolina School of the Arts ( North Carolina School of the Arts, until 2008 ) UNCSA Winston - Salem, Forsyth County 1,040 Special Focus Institution 1963 The Fighting Pickle 1972 Western Carolina University ( Western Carolina College, until 1967 ) WCU, Western Carolina ( for athletics ) Cullowhee, Jackson County 10,805 Master 's University 1889 Western Carolina Catamounts 1972 Winston - Salem State University ( Winston - Salem Teacher 's College, until 1969 ) WSSU Winston - Salem, Forsyth County 5,151 Baccalaureate College 1892 Rams 1972 North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics NCSSM Durham, Durham County 700 Residential High School 1980 Unicorns 2007 Notes The enrollment numbers are the official headcounts ( including all full - time and part - time, undergrad and postgrad students ) from University of North Carolina website : https://web.archive.org/web/20100527154058/https://www.northcarolina.edu/web/facts.php. This does not include the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, the figure for NCSSM is taken from its own website : https://web.archive.org/web/20080919063321/http://www.ncssm.edu/about-ncssm/facts.php. The following universities became four - year institutions after their founding ( date each became a four - year institution in parentheses ) : East Carolina University ( 1920 ) North Carolina Central University ( 1925 ) Winston - Salem State University ( 1925 ) Western Carolina University ( 1929 ) Appalachian State University ( 1929 ) Elizabeth City State University ( 1937 ) University of North Carolina at Pembroke ( 1939 ) Fayetteville State University ( 1939 ) University of North Carolina at Asheville ( 1963 ) University of North Carolina at Charlotte ( 1963 ) University of North Carolina at Wilmington ( 1963 ) With the exception of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, the institutions that joined the University of North Carolina in 1972 did so under their current name. As of 1972, all public four - year institutions in North Carolina are members of the University. Affiliates Name Location Founded North Carolina Arboretum Asheville, Buncombe County North Carolina Center for International Understanding Raleigh, Wake County North Carolina Center for Nursing Raleigh, Wake County North Carolina State Approving Agency Raleigh, Wake County North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority Raleigh, Wake County UNC Center for Public Television ( UNC - TV ) Research Triangle Park, Durham County 1955 UNC Faculty Assembly Chapel Hill, Orange County University of North Carolina Press Chapel Hill, Orange County 1922 UNC Staff Assembly Chapel Hill, Orange County Presidents For presiding professors of the University of North Carolina prior to 1804, see Leaders of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Margaret Spellings is the current President of the University of North Carolina Name Term Rev. Joseph Caldwell 1804 -- 1812 Robert Hett Chapman 1812 -- 1816 Rev. Joseph Caldwell 1816 -- 1835 Elisha Mitchell * 1835 David Lowry Swain 1835 -- 1868 Rev. Solomon Pool 1869 -- 1872 Rev. Charles Phillips 1875 -- 1876 Kemp Plummer Battle 1876 -- 1891 George Tayloe Winston 1891 -- 1896 Edwin Anderson Alderman 1896 -- 1900 Francis Preston Venable 1900 -- 1914 Edward Kidder Graham 1914 -- 1918 Marvin Hendrix Stacy 1918 -- 1919 Harry Woodburn Chase 1919 -- 1930 Frank Porter Graham 1930 - 1949 ( UNC Consolidation in 1931 ) William Donald Carmichael, Jr. * 1949 -- 1950 Gordon Gray 1950 -- 1955 J. Harris Purks * 1955 -- 1956 William Clyde Friday 1956 -- 1986 ( acting until 1957 ) Clemmie Spangler 1986 -- 1997 Molly Corbett Broad 1997 -- 2006 Erskine Bowles 2006 -- 2011 Thomas W. Ross 2011 -- 2016 Margaret Spellings 2016 -- present An asterisk ( * ) denotes acting president. See also List of colleges and universities in North Carolina North Carolina Community College System References ^ Jump up to : `` UNC Employees '' ( PDF ). UNC System. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2011 - 07 - 20. Retrieved 2010 - 08 - 14. Jump up ^ `` Facts & Figures ''. UNC System. Archived from the original on 2010 - 05 - 27. Retrieved 2010 - 08 - 14. ^ Jump up to : `` Facts & Figures ''. Northcarolina.edu. Archived from the original on 2010 - 05 - 27. Retrieved 2010 - 08 - 14. ^ Jump up to : `` University Facts ''. University of North Carolina. 2008 - 01 - 10. Archived from the original on 2008 - 02 - 13. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` About UNC ''. UNC General Administration. Archived from the original on 2011 - 05 - 11. Retrieved 2011 - 02 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Facts & Figures ''. UNC General Administration. Retrieved 2010 - 08 - 14. Jump up ^ http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/nc07.asp. Missing or empty title = ( help ) Jump up ^ http://www.unc.edu/about/. Missing or empty title = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` Article IX ''. North Carolina Constitution. North Carolina General Assembly. 2006. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 09. Jump up ^ `` Chapter 116 - Higher Education ''. North Carolina General Statutes. North Carolina General Assembly. 2006. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 29. Jump up ^ Wootson, Cleve R., Jr. ( 2002 - 01 - 08 ). `` UNC Leaders Want Abbreviation Change ''. The Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 19. Jump up ^ `` Appalachian State University '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` Appalachian State University '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` East Carolina University '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` East Carolina University '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` Elizabeth City State University '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` Elizabeth City State University '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` Fayetteville State University '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` Fayetteville State University '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Central University '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Central University '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina State University '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina State University '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Asheville '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Asheville '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` Serving UNC students and the community since 1893 ''. The Daily Tar Heel. 2010 - 07 - 08. Retrieved 2010 - 08 - 14. Jump up ^ Oh, Four Oh Four. Media.www.dailytarheel.com. Retrieved on 2013 - 07 - 29. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Charlotte '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Charlotte '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Greensboro '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Greensboro '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ http://www.uncpbraves.com/landing/index. Missing or empty title = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Pembroke '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Pembroke '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Wilmington '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina at Wilmington '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina School of the Arts '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina School of the Arts '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` Western Carolina University '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2008 - 11 - 21. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Western Carolina University '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2008 - 11 - 21. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Winston - Salem State University '' ( PDF ). Institutional Profiles. University of North Carolina. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` Winston - Salem State University '' ( PDF ). Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics ''. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 29. Jump up ^ `` NCSSM Fast Facts ''. North Carolina School of Science and Math. Archived from the original on 2008 - 09 - 19. Retrieved 2010 - 08 - 14. Further reading McGrath, Eileen, and Linda Jacobson. `` The Great Depression and Its Impact on an Emerging Research Library : The University of North Carolina Library, 1929 -- 1941, '' Libraries and the Cultural Record, ( 2011 ), 46 # 3 pp 295 -- 320. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Wikisource has the text of a 1905 New International Encyclopedia article about University of North Carolina. Official website `` North Carolina, University of ''. Collier 's New Encyclopedia. 1921. hide University of North Carolina system Universities Appalachian State East Carolina Elizabeth City State Fayetteville State NC A&T NC Central NC State UNC Asheville UNC -- Chapel Hill UNC Charlotte UNC Greensboro UNC Pembroke UNC School of the Arts UNC Wilmington Western Carolina Winston - Salem State High school NC School of Science and Mathematics Affiliates NC Arboretum NC Research Campus NCCIU NCCN NCSAA NCSEAA UNC Center for Public Television UNC Press Administration History Legal Mandate Structure Presidents Speaker Ban Coordinates : 35 ° 54 ′ 31 '' N 79 ° 2 ′ 57 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 35.90861 ° N 79.04917 ° W ﻿ / 35.90861 ; - 79.04917 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=University_of_North_Carolina&oldid=836959188 '' Categories : University of North Carolina Universities and colleges in North Carolina Public university systems in the United States Educational institutions established in the 1780s 1789 establishments in North Carolina Hidden categories : Pages with citations lacking titles Pages with citations having bare URLs All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from March 2018 Articles with permanently dead external links Articles containing Latin - language text Pages using infobox university with unknown parameters Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from Collier 's Encyclopedia Coordinates on Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia تۆرکجه Deutsch Eesti Español Esperanto فارسی Français 한국어 עברית Latina Nederlands Norsk Polski Suomi ไทย اردو 中文 8 more Edit links This page was last edited on 17 April 2018, at 21 : 36. 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Question: when was the university of north carolina founded
Answer: 1789