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1 week ago | 
jamesgmartin.center | Ashlynn Warta
When determining tuition costs, public colleges and universities typically distinguish between in-state and out-of-state students, with in-state tuition set at a far lower rate than out-of-state tuition. In North Carolina, for example, the UNC System is designed to serve the people of the state, and while a set percentage of out-of-state students are accepted at each of the 16 institutions, the ultimate goal remains to attract and support in-state students.
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1 month ago | 
jamesgmartin.center | Ashlynn Warta
This year is the North Carolina legislature’s long session. With the “crossover” deadline of May 8 just a month away, the Martin Center has collected a roundup of proposed bills that impact higher education. While it is possible that not all of these bills will remain under consideration after crossover (the date by which a bill must have been passed by one chamber to be considered by the other), many could go on to become state law.
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1 month ago | 
jamesgmartin.center | Ashlynn Warta
In February, the UNC System sent a memo regarding one of President Trump’s executive orders, instructing UNC System schools to eliminate “all general education requirements and major-specific requirements mandating completion of course credits related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, or any other topic identified in Section VII of the Equality Policy” (emphasis added).
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2 months ago | 
jamesgmartin.center | Ashlynn Warta
Recently, I had the pleasure to interview a North Carolina State University alum, Richard Basile, who graduated with his bachelor’s degree last December at only 19 years of age. By utilizing the state’s Career and College Promise program, Basile graduated from Panther Creek High School with 70 college credits already under his belt, then went on to complete his undergraduate degree in one year.
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Jan 27, 2025 | 
jamesgmartin.center | Ashlynn Warta
About a decade ago, public universities around the country began freezing tuition in response to student and parent complaints about the high costs of a college education. In the years since, schools have used said freezes as opportunities to remain financially competitive. Given predicted enrollment declines, it’s no shock that many schools are more closely monitoring their tuition prices.
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Jan 9, 2025 | 
jamesgmartin.center | Ashlynn Warta
The already competitive higher-ed marketplace is on the cusp of becoming even more challenging for colleges as they fight to pull from a dwindling pool of eligible students. With the number of traditional college-age students on the decline, schools are in a frenzy to maintain a competitive edge. As the Martin Center has detailed in our Blueprint for Reform Surviving the Demographic Cliff, colleges are facing current and predicted declines in enrollment.
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Dec 23, 2024 | 
jamesgmartin.center | Ashlynn Warta
In March of 2023, Gov. Roy Cooper issued Executive Order 278, designed to lower degree-related barriers to entry for state-government jobs in North Carolina. A year and a half later, the Martin Center is following up on its effects. Titled Recognizing the Value of Experience in State Government Hiring, EO 278 is intended to help potential applicants who have relevant experience for state jobs but may not have a college degree.
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Dec 12, 2024 | 
jamesgmartin.center | Ashlynn Warta
In the latest instance of colleges providing hand-holding incentives to students, Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) has begun paying some students to meet with career counselors. Through grant funding, students are eligible to receive $50 a month so long as they meet with a counselor at least once during that span. The pilot program is an effort to increase student retention and graduation rates.
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Nov 11, 2024 | 
jamesgmartin.center | Ashlynn Warta
Earlier this year, the UNC System revised its Academic Program Review (APR) policy, requiring that all 16 constituent institutions complete portfolio reviews at least every seven years. Unlike UNC Greensboro’s and UNC Asheville’s reviews, concluded earlier this spring in response to budget constraints, the new policy is focused on helping ensure that each institution is providing the best degrees possible for the state’s and students’ needs.
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Oct 10, 2024 | 
jamesgmartin.center | Ashlynn Warta
A recent survey from the consulting firm EAB has found that university attempts to cultivate student “belonging” are having mixed success. However, most students are still satisfied with their educational choice. Consisting of responses from over 12,600 young adults, the survey found that 84 percent of first-year students were satisfied with their college experience to date. That is an increase from the 68 percent who said as much in 2020 but still below the 2019 mark of 87 percent.
