University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina

Former names	North Carolina University (1789–1963)
Motto	Lux libertas (Latin)
Motto in English	Light and liberty
Type	Public
Established	December 11, 1789
Endowment	$2.890 billion (2016)
Chancellor	Carol Folt
Academic staff	3,696 (Fall 2013)
Administrative staff	8,287 (Fall 2013)
Students	29,084 (Fall 2015)
Undergraduates	18,415 (Fall 2015)
Postgraduates	10,669 (Fall 2015)
Location	Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S.
Campus	University town 729 acres (3.0 km2)
Colors	Carolina Blue & white
Athletics	NCAA Division I FBS – ACC
Nickname	Tar Heels
Mascot	Rameses
Affiliations	UNC System URA AAU SURA APLU
Website	www.unc.edu

Coordinates: 35°54′30″N 79°3′0″W / 35.90833°N 79.05000°W / 35.90833; -79.05000

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also known as UNC, or simply Carolina, is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. It is one of the 17 campuses of the University of North Carolina system. After being chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolling students in 1795, which also allows it to be one of three schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States.

The first public institution of higher education in North Carolina, the school opened its doors to students on February 12, 1795. The university offers degrees in over 70 courses of study through fourteen colleges and the College of Arts and Sciences. All undergraduates receive a liberal arts education and have the option to pursue a major within the professional schools of the university or within the College of Arts and Sciences from the time they obtain junior status. Under the leadership of President Kemp Plummer Battle, in 1877 North Carolina became coeducational and began the process of desegregation in 1951 when African-American graduate students were admitted under Chancellor Robert Burton House. In 1952, North Carolina opened its own hospital, UNC Health Care, for research and treatment, and has since specialized in cancer care. The school's students, alumni, and sports teams are known as "Tar Heels".