Another year is in the books for our Tar Heel family, and the class of 2026 will toss their caps this Saturday. We congratulate them and know their futures are bright.
While we hope those graduates depart campus with clear minds and open hearts, much will be on our minds as unresolved issues abound in Chapel Hill.
The School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL) saga is ongoing, with the school’s many issues seemingly remaining while the administration tries to conceal the report culminating from the $1.2 million independent investigation into the school.
The future of the Smith Center and the home of Tar Heel basketball is also an outstanding question. The administration announced an indefinite pause on deliberations about the future venue of Carolina basketball. But questions still remain, and it’s a topic near and dear to the hearts of many Tar Heel basketball fans.
Academic funding is also front of mind, as the University has faced considerable obstacles in the past few months. We’re still waiting for the NC General Assembly to pass a much-overdue state budget, and unprecedented budget cuts coming from the federal government have had a serious impact on Carolina as one of the top research universities in the country.
We can’t begin to comprehend what’s going on at the federal level (perhaps somebody will help sort that out on UNC’s behalf now that Carolina has a sprawling new office in DC), but it’s past time for state government to get its act together. We wrote recently about our optimism for the future when it comes to state funding for higher education and UNC-Chapel Hill – and we can’t wait any longer as important institutions like UNC’s children’s hospital hang in the balance.
While these areas are cause for some heartburn and frustration, there’s much to be thankful for and optimistic about as we look toward the summer ahead. For one, we’re excited for some of our sports programs that don’t get the due they deserve.
Men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s baseball and women’s tennis are all ranked among the top programs in the country. We’re very proud of those talented teams and athletes. Our baseball team even beat Duke 13-0 earlier this week. That’s certainly a reason to cheer. Have a great summer, everyone.
P.S. The work at the Coalition for Carolina won’t take a break for summer, and we could use your help. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution of any size by clicking here. Every contribution helps!
We also encourage you to get engaged and involved by visiting our website for past commentary on all things UNC and to catch some webinars and conversations you might have missed. Thanks again for your continued support and being a valued member of this Coalition.