How the University of North Carolina Regulates Post-Secondary Education

_{September 2, 2025 by JoyAnswer.org, Category : Education}

How does the University of North Carolina regulate post-secondary education? Explore how the University of North Carolina regulates post-secondary education. This guide covers governance, accreditation, and oversight policies to ensure academic standards and quality education.

Table of Contents

How does the University of North Carolina regulate post-secondary education?

The University of North Carolina (UNC) System regulates post-secondary education primarily through its Board of Governors (BOG), administrative offices, and individual campus administrations. Here’s a detailed overview of how it works:

1. Board of Governors (BOG)

The UNC Board of Governors is the central governing body for the 17-campus UNC System.
Responsibilities include:
- Setting system-wide policies for academics, finance, and administration.
- Approving new academic programs and degrees.
- Overseeing budget allocations to ensure equitable funding across campuses.
- Establishing minimum academic standards for faculty, students, and programs.

The BOG ensures consistency and quality across all UNC campuses while respecting individual campus autonomy.

2. Office of Academic Affairs

The UNC System Office of Academic Affairs provides guidance and oversight for educational programs.
Functions include:
- Ensuring compliance with accreditation standards (SACSCOC).
- Monitoring program quality and student outcomes.
- Coordinating inter-campus curriculum policies to facilitate credit transfer.
- Evaluating proposals for new degrees or modifications to existing programs.

3. Chancellors and Campus Administration

Each campus has a Chancellor and administrative team responsible for implementing BOG policies locally.
Responsibilities include:
- Developing campus-specific curricula within system guidelines.
- Hiring and evaluating faculty.
- Administering student academic policies, such as grading standards, academic probation, and graduation requirements.
- Ensuring compliance with federal and state education regulations, including Title IX, FERPA, and financial aid rules.

4. Program and Faculty Oversight

Faculty governance bodies (like academic councils) review courses and programs before approval.
Program reviews are conducted periodically to maintain academic quality.
Graduate and professional programs may undergo additional accreditation processes specific to their disciplines (e.g., engineering, nursing, business).

5. Policy and Compliance

UNC campuses follow system-wide policies on academic integrity, student conduct, and program assessment.
Compliance with state laws and regulations ensures transparency and accountability.
Policies are publicly accessible through the UNC System’s website: https://www.northcarolina.edu/policies

Summary

The UNC System regulates post-secondary education through a tiered governance structure:

Board of Governors – sets system-wide policies and standards.
Office of Academic Affairs – provides oversight and ensures quality and accreditation compliance.
Campus administration – implements policies, manages programs, and maintains day-to-day academic operations.
Faculty and program review bodies – maintain curriculum quality and relevance.

This structure allows UNC to balance central oversight with campus autonomy, ensuring that all campuses maintain high academic standards while addressing local educational needs.

The University of North Carolina (UNC) System Office plays a central role in regulating post-secondary education for its 17 member institutions. This oversight is managed through a combination of policy-making by the UNC Board of Governors and direct administration by the UNC System Office. These bodies set the standards for everything from academic programs and faculty qualifications to financial management, ensuring a consistent level of quality across the system.

How Does the University of North Carolina Regulate Post-Secondary Education?

The UNC System is a public university system governed by the Board of Governors (BOG). The BOG is a policy-making body responsible for the general determination, control, supervision, and management of all affairs of its constituent institutions. It has the statutory authority to issue licenses to non-public and out-of-state institutions to operate in North Carolina, ensuring a baseline of quality for all colleges within the state. The UNC System's Academic and Regulatory Affairs department is responsible for carrying out these policies.

What Are the Policies for Accreditation and Standards?

The UNC System's institutions are individually accredited by regional accreditors, primarily the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Accreditation is a form of peer review that assures a program meets the standards set by its academic and professional community. While individual institutions are responsible for maintaining their accreditation, the UNC System Office monitors their compliance with SACSCOC criteria, especially regarding substantive changes to programs. The North Carolina General Assembly recently passed a law prohibiting UNC institutions from receiving consecutive accreditation cycles from the same agency, requiring them to pursue a change in accreditors as their current cycles expire.

Beyond institutional accreditation, many specific programs, such as those in education, business, and law, must also seek and maintain specialized accreditations from their respective national bodies.

How Are Colleges Monitored Within the UNC System?

The UNC System Office monitors its constituent institutions through a variety of methods:

Financial and Audit Oversight: The Office of Compliance and Audit Services oversees a program to ensure all institutions adhere to state laws and financial regulations. They monitor key performance indicators and review comprehensive self-assessments from each campus.
Data and Performance Metrics: The UNC System maintains an extensive collection of data dashboards and reports, including information on enrollment, student success, faculty workloads, and financial statements. This data is used to ensure transparency and accountability.
Policy Compliance: Chancellors and provosts are responsible for ensuring their institutional policies comply with the overarching UNC System policies set by the BOG, particularly in areas like faculty workload and student success.

What Are the Guidelines for Program Approval at UNC?

The UNC System has a strict process for the approval of new academic programs to avoid duplication and ensure quality.

Request for Planning Authorization: An institution must first submit a formal request to the UNC System Office for authorization to plan a new degree program. This step ensures that the proposed program aligns with the institution's mission and the needs of the state.
Request to Establish: Once planning is authorized, the institution submits a detailed proposal to establish the program. This proposal includes information on curriculum, faculty, resources, and a financial plan. The UNC Board of Governors has the final statutory responsibility to authorize new degree programs.
Required Credit Hours: The UNC System has a regulation that undergraduate baccalaureate degree programs shall require no more than 120 semester credit hours, with some exceptions for specific fields.

How Does UNC Ensure Quality in Post-Secondary Education?

The UNC System ensures quality through a multifaceted approach:

High-Level Governance: The BOG is responsible for broad policy decisions that guide the entire system, from tuition rates to faculty employment. This centralized governance ensures consistency.
Student Success Policies: The UNC System has policies on student success, including minimum course requirements for admission, satisfactory academic progress standards, and guidelines on course repeats and GPA calculation.
Faculty Oversight: The System Office monitors faculty workload and requires each institution to have clear policies and procedures for annual faculty evaluations and work plans.
State Authorization Unit: This unit is responsible for licensing non-public and out-of-state institutions operating in North Carolina. It also serves as a point of contact for student complaints, providing a form of consumer protection.