Higher Education | 1999 Archive

The University of Massachusetts at Amherst announced Feb. 18 that it would shift away from using race preferences in its admissions policies. The university will instead consider socioeconomic status and extracurricular activities when deciding whether to admit students and award financial aid. AND The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is at a comparably high level of preparedness for the computer glitch known as the "Year 2000" (Y2K) problem, the campus's University Gazette is reporting.

N.C. Community Colleges will need upward of $1.2 billion for capital expansion if they are to meet projected enrollment growth for 2000-2005, according to Kent Caruthers, a consultant with MGT of America, Inc. in Tallahassee, FL. A recent survey of seniors at America’s top colleges and Universities reveals that more than 80 percent are ignorant of the most basic elements of American history. Among the elite institutions surveyed were Duke University and Davidson College.

Members of the State Board of Community Colleges met today to begin developing a proposal for financing capital needs at the state's community college campuses. The North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) announced last Friday that they would partner with UNC to create a funding package that would address both systems’ capital needs. An estimated 12.5 cents out of every $1 increase in tuition goes to pay for compliance with federal regulations.

What has been called a “crisis” by some higher education leaders in North Carolina is being viewed as an opportunity to cut state spending and improve services in Washington State.