What a milestone!
We’re absolutely delighted that more than 215,000 people who love and want to support Carolina students, faculty, research, and financial aid were motivated to contribute to the Campaign for Carolina. Because of their generosity, Carolina has raised an eyepopping FIVE BILLION DOLLARS with a month to go in the fundraising campaign!
The press coverage of this milestone achievement has been glowing and well deserved. Here’s a sample of what they’re saying:
- News and Observer – “The milestone makes UNC the first university, public or private, in the South to raise $5 billion in a single campaign. UNC joins five other public universities, and becomes one of 16 universities total, in the country in reaching that amount. The university described the milestone in a news release as one of ‘the most successful efforts ever in higher education.’”
- Forbes –“With that amount, UNC-CH becomes one of just six public universities to fundraise $5 billion or more in a capital campaign. The others are the University of California, Berkeley;University of California, San Francisco; UCLA; University of Michigan; and the University of Washington.”
This achievement is a much-needed boost of encouragement for our university leadership, faculty, and staff at a time when they’ve been bruised by headlines highlighting issues related to university governance and overreach. This kind of support from those who love Carolina demonstrates tremendous confidence in the chancellor, administrators, faculty and staff. It also helps to address some of the challenges the university has faced as a result of funding cuts over the past decade. On a per student funding basis, the UNC system is still not back to pre-recession (2008) levels. (“The state spent $2,900 less per student in the University of North Carolina System in 2020-21 than it did in 2006-07, when adjusted for inflation.”)
Chancellor Guskiewicz expressed his gratitude in a press release saying; “I am immensely grateful for the community of donors and volunteers who have supported us on this journey….” Their generosity represents a strong affirmation of our mission of teaching, research and service. Reaching this milestone ensures that Carolina will continue to prepare generations of students and scholars to solve the grand challenges of our time.”
While we are absolutely delighted at this achievement, we are mindful that this is “once in a generation” kind of fund raising. Carolina remains a public university created for all the people of North Carolina and our sustainability is dependent on taxpayer support administered through the General Assembly. , but private fundraising is not a substitute for consistent, sufficient, reliable state support.
In this Thanksgiving season, we are grateful for the generosity of our Carolina community. We have come together to support our great university at an unprecedented level at a critical time. This fundraising vote of confidence speaks volumes. Thank you to all who supported, and will support, this effort.