Tom Ross will step down as President of the University of North Carolina system at the end of 2015, but his reserved judicial temperament has been a stabilizing force for the University system at a time of tremendous change. Over the past four years, Ross has managed the University system through significant transitions and very difficult times…. READ MORE
North Carolina’s public universities have always struck a careful balance between state support and student tuition, making sure that students and their families can afford a high-quality college education. But since 2007, that balance has slipped. Public universities have been hit with more than $500 million in state reductions. As the state invests less, students… READ MORE
As students across North Carolina return from winter break, those heading back to the state’s public universities have an interesting semester ahead. This spring, classes across the UNC system will challenge students to: Fly to the edge of space An engineering team of UNC Charlotte seniors will literally reach the stratosphere in Earth Science 2030: Near-Space… READ MORE
The economy is steadily improving, but North Carolina’s public universities could still face lean times when the legislature convenes in January. The Office of the State Controller estimates that state revenue for the first five months of the fiscal year is down $410 million from the same period last year — a drop of 5%. Almost half-way… READ MORE
In the second installment of our interview with Research Triangle Park President and CEO Bob Geolas, Geolas shares some eye-opening statistics about the park: 7,000 acres, 190 companies, and 60% of employers in the Park have 20 or fewer employees. Geolas also outlines some of the challenges the Park is confronting in its plans for… READ MORE
In the 1950s, officials told the mothers of North Carolina that if they didn’t support the nascent Research Triangle Park, their sons would move up north and marry Yankees and they’d never see their grandchildren. “It’s very different today,” Bob Geolas, the president and CEO of the Park, says in the accompanying interview. “Our universities… READ MORE
CHAPEL HILL — In the largest donation ever to UNC-Chapel Hill, pharmaceutical executive Fred Eshelman is giving $100 million to the School of Pharmacy that already bears his name. “We must be relentless in our pursuit of pre-eminence — and I mean pre-eminence,” Eshelman said at a jubilant ceremony announcing the gift. “We must help… READ MORE
When he first went to the NC School of Science and Mathematics in 11th grade, Ryan O’Donnell didn’t become a techie – he became a humanist. But for O’Donnell, that wasn’t an either/or choice. Now a senior at NC State University, O’Donnell thrives on reaching across disciplines to use technology to solve human problems. In May, he’s on track… READ MORE
Engineering majors are in high demand. According to data from the Census Bureauand Payscale.com, graduates in engineering can expect some of the best starting salaries and lifetime earnings of all college graduates. According to the N.C. Department of Commerce, mechanical, electrical, construction, and computer engineers can all expect salaries well above $60,000 within five years of graduating…. READ MORE