UNC System

Faculty across the UNC System are expressing increased concerns that their safety is at risk following the new UNC System policy that all class syllabi be posted in an online database.

Some faculty members say the "lengthy and vague" policy is a threat to academic freedom in itself and fear it can be used to retaliate against professors who teach unpopular subjects.

UNC System President Peter Hans' decision puts North Carolina in league with other Southern states like Florida and Texas, which legislatively mandate syllabi to be public records.

The full board went against a committee decision to keep resident undergraduate tuition flat.

The committee instead voted to increase tuition for out-of-state students to make up for rising costs.

Lee Roberts called the "preferential treatment" proposal a clear infringement on academic freedom.

The $3.3 million gap is set to impact the System's NC Promise institutions.

Right-wing groups are increasingly requesting copies of syllabi and course materials to assess what's being taught in college classrooms. That means universities like UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC Greensboro are having to decide what to turn over, and what faculty can still control.

University leadership can't fill vacant positions, employees might not receive salary increases, and the UNC Board of Governors has to reallocate its finances.

Martin General Hospital shut down in 2023 after its operator filed for bankruptcy. Residents have to travel to neighboring counties to access care. A new state initiative seeks to end that healthcare desert.