University of North Carolina

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	222,322 (2009 Fall)
Undergraduates	176,133 (2009 Fall)
Postgraduates	46,189 (2009 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 183,000 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.

Founded in 1789, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the oldest public university in the United States. 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.