We must protect the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Join UsWe are The Coalition for Carolina.
A nonpartisan group of concerned alumni, faculty, staff, students, and allies of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We are a non-profit 501c3 organization and have also established a 501c4 organization. We’ve come together to support and defend the University of the People and its independence from partisan interference. We are dedicating ourselves to the University’s promise of Lux Libertas—light and liberty—and the principles of open inquiry, free speech, equity and inclusion. We urge you to join us in our very important mission: To protect the State of North Carolina’s most valuable asset: the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Join Us
Why do we need a Coalition for Carolina?
We’re still the envy of the nation—a top five public university, the University of the People, a world-class research university, the key economic driver for the state—but things have changed in Blue Heaven. Our shining Light on the Hill is no longer leading itself. Partisan politics and governance overreach has seeped into daily operations. A series of embarrassing incidents have made national headlines over the past few years. The shared governance model that has served us well for decades has been abandoned. And, political appointees have created disruption by inserting themselves into lower-level hiring decisions. There also appears to be a new disregard for faculty tenure determinations (the Nikole Hannah-Jones) debacle, and decisions about how Carolina operates are being influenced by political priorities.
We believe that day to day operational decisions and those that shape the future of Carolina should be made in Chapel Hill in the decades long, proven, and highly successful, shared governance model. That process has been eroded and we need to do everything in our power to return collaborative self-governance to Chapel Hill in order to ensure that our children have the same, high-quality experience that we did at UNC.
Relevance as Advocate and Watchdog.
Since our launch in 2021, the Coalition for Carolina has been shining a bright light on issues impacting the success of our great university. We have called out policies and practices that hurt Carolina and put forward solutions to address the problems. Our efforts have been effective in bringing attention to critical issues and, we believe, curtailing some of the worst instincts (trustees desiring to insert themselves into the admissions review process for example). The Coalition is proud to have built a network of more than 20,000 strong and will constantly be on the watch for detrimental action or policy. We need your support new and continued and that of others to join us in being ready to push back on politicization and governance overreach at all times. We all love Carolina, and hope you will JOIN US in our quest. If there are enough of us in this coalition, we can continue to make a difference.
Join UsCoalition for Carolina Founders:
Mr. Roger Perry, Chapel Hill, NC
Dr. Mimi Chapman, Chapel Hill, NC
Ms. Joyce Fitzpatrick, Raleigh, NC
Since its founding, the Coalition has gained the support of tens of thousands of people.
If you would also like to add your name to this list, follow this link.
To join the Coalition for Carolina without adding your name to the website, follow this link.
A couple of hundred of our supporters are listed below.
Join UsSome of our Supporters:
Joyce Firzpatrick – Raleigh, NC – 1976, BA
Allie Barton – Chapel Hill, NC – 2018, BA
Donna Campell – Carrboro, NC
Dan Fitz – London, UK – 1981, 1985, BA, JD
Carly Martinelli – Wilmington, NC – 2019, B.A.
Martha Waters – Portland, ME – 2011, 2014, BA, MS
Stephane Booth – Fairlawn, OH – 1973, BA
Nicci Gafinowitz – Chapel Hill, NC – 2016, MSIS
Carolyn Griffin Hall – Nashville, TN – 1985, BA
Jamie DeMent Holcomb – Hillsborough, NC – 2001, BA
Stephen Rich – Chapel Hill, NC – 1964, BS
Jim and Beth Gray – Durham, NC – 1970, BA
Brittany Piper – Raleigh, NC – 2004, BA
William Murphey – Arlington, VA – 1965, BA
Rex Mercer – Chapel Hill, NC – 1981, 2014, BS, MSW
Peter McLean – Sparta, NC – 1973, BSBA
Bonnor Hudson – Clayton, NC – 1979, BA
Paul Jones – Chapel Hill, NC
Smith Freeman – Reidsville, NC – 1968, 1972, BA, JD
Dirk Wilmoth – Weaverville, NC – 1976, 1978, BA, MPA
Jay Alley – Raleigh, NC – 1990 ,1998, BA, MD
Genessa Eddy – Chapel Hill, NC
Cheryl Malloy – Alexandria, VA – 1972, BA
Leonard Oppenheimer – New York, NY – 1968, 1971, MS, PhD
Joseph Ferrell – Chapel Hill, NC – 1960, BS‚ JD
Elizabeth O’Nan – Chapel Hill, NC
Robert Bilbro – Raleigh, NC – 1962, 1966, BA, MD
Robert Hoskins – Dubois, WY – 1976, BA
Mike Ferrell – Raleigh, NC – 2019, BA
Christopher Edwards – Farmville, NC – 1986, 1989, BA
George Doyle – Chapel Hill, NC – 1972, BA
Bernetta Braswell Smith – Garner, NC – 1985, BS
Cyrus Johnson – Charlotte, NC – 1976, 1984, BA, JD, MBA
Walter Jackson – Durham, NC – 1967, AB
Scott Verner – Concord, NC – 1972, BA
Lisa Huffines – New York, NY – 1988, BA
Isabel Hagood – Washington, DC – 2016, BS
Melody Kramer – Carrboro, NC
David Hopkins – New York, NY – 1980, 1982, BA, MRP
Aaron Shapiro – Carrboro, NC
John H. Clark – Charlotte, NC – 1968, 1972, BA, MACT
Ruth Carson – Richlands, NC – 1988, BA
Jim Van Hecke – Raleigh, NC – 1969, BA
George Krichbaum – Raleigh, NC – 1969, BA
Richard Padgett – Charlotte, NC – 1977, 1985, BS, PhD
Margaret Cohen – Hillsborough, NC – 1989, 1993, BA
David Scott – Lake Waccamaw, NC
Bob Williams – McDonough, GA – 1971, BS
Richard Lackmann – Pangbourne, UK – 1983, BS
Thomas Truitt – Columbia, SC – 1962, 1966, 1974, BA, MAT, EdD
Ryan Collins – Cary, NC – 2011, 2021, BA, JD
Bob Young – Naples, FL – 1957, AB
J Davis – Winston Salem, NC
Scott Singleton – Chapel Hill, NC
David McSpadden – San Rafael, CA – 1983, BA
Johnathan Williams – Gastonia, NC – 1982, 1986, BA, MD
Jamie Ayscue – Raleigh, NC – 1986, BA
John Hammond – Chapel Hill, NC
Dick Michaux – Vail, CO – 1973, MBA
Joan Brinson Dressler – Greensboro, NC – 1976, BA
Margaret Plumb Balcom – Coronado, CA – 1984, BA
David Lewis – Durham, NC – 2007, BSBA
John Parker – Charlotte, NC – 1973, BA
Sandy Moulton – Durham, NC – 1974, 1977, 1978, BA, JD, MPH
Jon Curtis – Raleigh, NC
Bill Staton, MBA, CFA – Charlotte, NC – 1969, BS
Anne York – Wrightsville Beach, NC – 1991, Ph. D.
Tom Williams – Fairview, NC – 1982, BA
Melody Montgomery – Oviedo, FL – 1989, BS
Mary Anne Dickson – Charlotte, NC – 1963, BS
Sprite Barbee – Pinehurst, NC – 1970, BS
Ben Fountain – Dallas, TX – 1980, BA
Bruce Macdonald – Hendersonville, NC – 1969, BA
Jane Coe Smith – Chapel Hill, NC
Laura Toler – Durham, NC – 1976, BA
Rosemary Waldorf – Chapel Hill, NC – 1974, 1983, BA, MA
Bryn Marie Panee Burkhart – Reading, MA – 1995, BA
Joseph Ritok – Chapel Hill, NC – 1970, BA
Ralph W Cummings Jr. – Fearrington Village, NC – 1960, BA
Hill Rose – Chapel Hill, NC – 1974, BA, MBA
David Sisk – St. Paul, MN – 1987, 1994, MA, PhD
Randy Dunbar – Boulder, CO – 1984, BS
Mindy Kutchei – Greensboro, NC – 1974, BA
Nancy Jenkins – Pittsboro, NC – 1968, BS
Hugh Stevens – Raleigh, NC – BA, JD, 1965, 1968
James Elder – Chapel Hill, NC – MA, PhD, 1963, 1970
Hart Edmonds – Hillsborough, NC – 1973, BA
Dale Lee – Raleigh, NC – 1975, BA
William Scarborough – Asheville, NC – 1980, BS
Betsy Wonnell Brown – Raleigh, NC – 1994, BA
Dr. Betty Lou Whitford – Chapel Hill, NC – 1972, 1976, 1981, AB, MAT, PhD
Sandra Rierson – San Diego, CA – 1989, BA
Elizabeth Hollers Welsby – Chapel Hill, NC – 1991, 1997, BA, MSW
Ross Vaughan, MD – Raleigh, NC – 1966, 1970, BA, MD
Wanda Hunter – Chapel Hill, NC – 1971, 1981, BA, MPH
Sam Carlisle – Pinehurst, NC – 1970, BA
Martha Peck – Raleigh, NC – 1974, 1977, 2004, BA, MS, MD
Ann Horan – Sunset Beach, NC – 1978, BA
Timothy Foskey – Charlotte, NC – 1991, BMEd
Sue Estroff – Durham, NC
Joni Walser – Rowayton, CT – 1982, 1986, BA, JD
Dottie Coplon – Charlotte, NC – 1957, BA
Kirsten Nyrop – Chapel Hill, NC – 1974, 1976, 2010, BA, MA, PhD
Allan Spader – Saint Simons Island, GA – 1960, 1963, BA, MRP
John Boska – Easley, SC – 1976, BA
Michael Priddy – Wilmington, NC – 1970, 1975, 1981, AB, MEd, EdD
Tony Waldrop – Chapel Hill, NC – 1974, BA, MS, PhD
Jane Pope – Raleigh, NC – 1973, BA
Stephanie Bass – Pittsboro, NC – 1972, 1999, BA, MBA
Frank Carter – Wilmington, NC – 1972, AB
Mary Witul – Sewickley, PA – 1973, 1977, BA, JD
G Vincent Durham – Rocky Mount, NC – 1973, BA
Jeff Cheek – Saratoga Springs, NY – 1980, BS
Russell Toal – Santa Fe, NM – 1976, MPH
Suraj Shah – New York, NY – 2014, BA
Tracy Mohr – Winston-Salem, NC – 1989, BA
John Singleton – Asheville, NC – 1984, MSW
Steven Kuhn – Charlottte, NC – 1965, BSST
Elizabeth Daley – Richmond, VA – 1980, BS
Michael Thompson – Chapel Hill, NC – 1972, 1975, BA, JD
Kathy E Floyd – Roswell, GA – 1980, BA
Ray Peck – Raleigh, NC – 1973, BA, MBA
Anthony Fike – Atlanta, GA – 2013, BS
Bonnie Woodruff – Raleigh, NC – 1969, BSN
Cyndi Soter O’Neil – Raleigh, NC – 1995, 2002, BA, MA
Dr. Robert Merrill – Asheville, NC – 1977, 1981, BS, DDS
Elizabeth Malcolm – Chapel Hill, NC – 1991, BA
Vanya Wright – Sanford, NC
Blake Tedder – Hillsborough, NC – 2007, 2015, BA, BA, MSW
Connie Eble – Carrboro, NC – 1967, 1971, MA, PhD
Alice Bordsen – Mebane, NC – 1977, 1983, BA, MS, LS
Bruce Elmore – Asheville, NC – 1974, BA, JD
Stephen Cheek – Southern Pines, NC – 1999, BA
Susannah Southern – Durham, NC – 1987, BS
Reade Taylor – Lewisville, NC – 1979, 1987, BS, MBA
Steve Bentley – Charlotte, NC – 1975, BS
Melinda Manning – Carrboro, NC – 1994, 2001, 2015, BA, JD, MSW
Jeff Mason – Kernersville, NC – 1980, 1983, BA, JD
Rick Morgan – Pittsboro, NC – 1973, BA
Rebecca Tillet – Newtown, PA – 1983, BA
John Keller – Los Fresnos, TX – 1968, BA
Philip Berney – New York, NY – 1986, BS
John Ellison – Greensboro, NC – 1969, 1972, BA, MBA
Heather Boneparth – Kiawah Island, SC – 1980, BA
Wayne Caldwell – Candler, NC – 1969, AB
Rusty Rogers – Pittsboro, NC – 1979, BA
Victor Vance – Wilmington, NC – 1968, BA, MAT, PhD
Janet Hudson Buchanan – Brookhaven, GA – 1970, 1974, BS, Me
Clyde Buchanan – Brookhaven, GA – 1969, BS
Carl Baumann – Hillsborough, NC – 1971, BSBA
Arnoluck Prachith – Chicago, IL – 2019, BSBA
Rebekah Radisch – Durham, NC – 1978, 2014, BA, MA, PhD
Patricia Parker – Chapel Hill, NC
Dianne McQueen – Durham, NC – 1977, 1979, 1983, BA, MSPH, MD
Dustin Ingalls – Wendell, NC – 2007, BA
MaryAnn Hendrickson – Las Cruces, NM – 1980, BA
John Wester – Charlotte, NC – BA
Rita Layson – Greensboro, NC – 1984, MD
Eileen Hoyt – Pittsboro, NC – 1986, 1997, BA, MSc
David Brown – Wilmington, DE – 1968, BA
James Womble – Raleigh, NC – 1982, 1986, BS, MD
Robert Travis – Colquitt, GA – 1968, BA
Anne Atwell – Bahama, NC – 1981, BA
John Tate – Charlotte, NC – 1969, BA
Bruce Stiftel – Atlanta, GA – 1981, 1986, MRP, PhD
James Deal – Boone, NC – 1974, JD
Barbara Polk – Chapel Hill, NC – 1979, BS
Timothy Sullivan – Park City, UT – 1985, BA
Dr. Jim Harrell Jr – Elkin, NC – 1969, BA
Lydia Worthington – Grimesland, NC – 1987, BA
Molly Weston – Apex, NC – 1977, BA
Robert Peek – Apex, NC – 1963, BS
John Lafferty – Valdese, NC – 1974, 1979, AB, MD
Ken Smith – Chapel Hill, NC – 1984, BA
Bob Gimpel – Hamilton, MO – 1970, BA
Lucien Ellison – Wilmington, NC – 1997, 2003, BA, MBA
Thomas Harrison – Greensboro, NC – 1971, BA
Jim Ogburn – Greensboro, NC – 1967, BS
Karen Haldeman – Durham, NC – 2006, PhD
Nancy and Monty White – Raleigh, NC – 1970, BA
Mike Newton-Ward – Raleigh, NC – 1978, 1984, 1986, BA, MSW, MPH
Xiaoying Li – Greensboro, NC
John Smeallie – Sarasota, FL – 1973, BA
Justin Meyer – Boston, MA – 1990, BA
Robert Lowman – Chapel Hill, NC
Lawrence Robertshaw – Green Valley, AZ – 1964, BA
Mimi Chapman – Chapel Hill, NC – 1997,PhD
Julia Merricks – Raleigh, NC – 1978, 1984, BA, JD
Lee Niegelsky – Chapel Hill, NC – 1979, BA
Rabia Gregory – Fulton, MO – 2007, PhD
Tom Harrington – Chapel Hill, NC – 1973, BA
Jeffrey Barker – Washington, NC – 1967, BA
Markham Gunter – Raleigh, NC – 1988, BA
Landy Qualls – Chapel Hill, NC
Tom Hyatt – Wilmington, NC – 1968, BS
Dixon Qualls – Chapel Hill, NC – 1959, DDS
Sharon Hall – Hillsborough, NC – 1989, 1991, BA, MPA
Stephen Johnson – Pittsboro, NC – 1968, BS
Katie Musgrove – Burlington, NC – 2015, BA
Speed Hallman – Wadesboro, NC – 1982, BA
Walt Sherlin – Raleigh, NC – 1971, 1974, BA. MAT
Frieda Harrington – Chapel Hill, NC – 1974, BS
James Moeser – Chapel Hill, NC
Amy Womble – Raleigh, NC – 1983, 1984, BA, MS
Grady Ormsby – Swansboro, NC – 1969, 1972, BA, MAT
Danielle Spitzer – Berkeley, CA – 2017, BS
Kevin Walker – Kill Devil Hills, NC – 1986, BS
Missy Julian-Fox – Chapel Hill, NC – 1973, BA
JD Wilson – Durham, NC – 1992, BA
Gwen Barlow – Durham, NC – 2012, 2020, BA, MCRP, JD
Patrick Conway – Chapel Hill, NC
Donna Schwartz-Barcott – West Greenwich, RI – 1970, 1978, MS, PhD
Edith Hubbard – Carrboro, NC – 1966, BA
Melvin Watt – Charlotte, NC – 1967, BS
Bill Baldridge – Winston-Salem, NC – 1958, BA
Karen Cavallo – Ambler, PA
Keith Davis – Charlottesville, VA – 2002, MBA
David Pardue – Hilton Head Island, SC – 1969, BS
Richard Entsminger – Ashburn, VA – 1986, MBA
David Kiel – Chapel Hill, NC – 1968,1974, BA, MPH, DPH
Raymond Allen – Albemarle, NC – 1980, 1983, BA, MPA
Claude Sykes Jr – Hendersonville, NC – 1967, BA
William Olmstead IV – Wilton, CT – 1991, BA
Bryant Haskins – Lynchburg, VA – 1974, BA
Kathleen Rounds – Chapel Hill, NC
Alan Nealeans – Lewisville, NC – 1972, DDS
Bob Singletary – Raleigh, NC – 1975, BA, MPH
Jim Stasheff – Lansdale, PA
Mary Beth Hernandez – Hillsborough, NC – 1988, MD
Ralph W. Cummings Jr. – Fearrington Village, NC – 1960, BA
Ellen Macdonald-Almazon – Hendersonville, NC – 1963, BA
Bill Lowder – Edmond, OK – 1971, BA
Phyllis Cowell – Rocky Mount, NC
Steve Lytch – Lancaster, PA – 1971, BA
Kelly Stainback-Tracy – Denver, CO – 1994, BS
Joseph Sitterson – Asheville, NC – 1967, 1975, BA, PhD
Bob Crawford – St Petersburg, FL – 1976, BS
Dan Slagle – Raleigh, NC – 1975, BS
Barbara Ladd – Decatur, GA – 1990, PhD
Megan Matchinske – Carrboro, NC
Adam Searing – Chapel Hill, NC – 1994, JD, MPH
Leigh Anne Bowling, Esq. – Virginia Beach, VA – 1989, BA
Lauren Hood – Raleigh, NC – 2001, BA
Diane Frazier – Fearrington Village, NC – 1974, BA
Adam Searing – Chapel Hill, NC – 1994, JD, MPH
Julia Merricks – Raleigh, NC – 1978, 1984, BA, JD
Bill Martin – Los Angeles, CA – 1986, BA
John Wilson – Chapel Hill, NC – 1985, BA
Philip Kirstein – Princeton, NJ – 1967, BA
Paula Graham – St Petersburg, FL – 1982, BA
Richard Marvin – Raleigh, NC – 1970, BA
Lisa Lindsay – Chapel Hill, NC
Robert Cotten – Raleigh, NC – 1967, BS
Sue Estroff – Durham, NC
Barbara Johnston – Boulder, CO – 1983, MD
Michael King – Raleigh, NC – 1987, BS
Robert Korstad – Chapel Hill, NC – 1971, 1987, BA, PhD
Parker Moore – Asheville, NC – 1972, BS
Randall Kramer – Carrboro, NC – 1975, BA
Paul Fulton – Winston-Salem, NC
Charles Streeter – Durham, NC – 1993, BA, MA
Laurie Norman – Carrboro, NC – 1983, BS
John Chapman – Atlanta, GA – 2000, 2008, BA, MBA
Ford Worthy – Chapel Hill, NC – 1978, BA
GOOD NEWS
Webinar Recording
April 27, 2022: How and Why Faculty Tenure Strengthens Carolina. Over the past year, faculty tenure at Carolina has made national headlines for all the wrong reasons. Panelists in this webinar will describe how the Carolina tenure process has historically worked and explain how and why faculty tenure strengthens Carolina.
BAD NEWS
Who is Jim Blaine?
Since 2019, an influx of former political staffers have taken roles and consulting engagements within the UNC System. Jim Blaine, who was appointed to the UNC Board of Visitors in 2018, is one of these individuals. Blaine served as Chief of Staff for Senator Phil Berger from 2011 to 2018,