§ 116-11.  Powers and duties generally.

The powers and duties of the Board of Governors shall include the following:

(1) The Board of Governors shall plan and develop a coordinated system of higher education in North Carolina. To this end it shall govern the 16 constituent institutions, subject to the powers and responsibilities given in this Article to the boards of trustees of the institutions, and to this end it shall maintain close liaison with the State Board of Community Colleges, the Community Colleges System Office and the private colleges and universities of the State. The Board, in consultation with representatives of the State Board of Community Colleges and of the private colleges and universities, shall prepare and from time to time revise a long-range plan for a coordinated system of higher education, supplying copies thereof to the Governor, the members of the General Assembly, and the institutions. Statewide federal or State programs that provide aid to institutions or students of post-secondary education through a State agency, except those related exclusively to the community college system, shall be administered by the Board pursuant to any requirements of State or federal statute in order to insure that all activities are consonant with the State's long-range plan for higher education.

(2) The Board of Governors shall be responsible for the general determination, control, supervision, management and governance of all affairs of the constituent institutions. For this purpose the Board may adopt such policies and regulations as it may deem wise. Subject to applicable State law and to the terms and conditions of the instruments under which property is acquired, the Board of Governors may acquire, hold, convey or otherwise dispose of, invest and reinvest any and all real and personal property, with the exception of any property that may be held by trustees of institutional endowment funds under the provisions of G.S. 116-36 or that may be held, under authority delegated by the Board of Governors, either by a board of trustees or by trustees of any other endowment or trust fund.

(2a) The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina may hire staff members deemed necessary by the Board to report directly to the Board. The Board of Governors shall determine the job titles, responsibilities, and salaries and benefits for all staff members hired by and reporting directly to the Board. Salaries and benefits for staff members hired pursuant to this subdivision shall be competitive with other positions of similar level and authority within The University of North Carolina System.

When the Board of Governors hires a staff member pursuant to this subdivision, the Board shall submit a report within 60 days of the date of employment to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee that provides at least the following information regarding the position: job title, description of the position, responsibilities that accompany the position, salary and benefits, and supervisor, if any, of the position.

(3) The Board shall determine the functions, educational activities and academic programs of the constituent institutions. The Board shall also determine the types of degrees to be awarded. The powers herein given to the Board shall not be restricted by any provision of law assigning specific functions or responsibilities to designated institutions, the powers herein given superseding any such provisions of law. The Board, after adequate notice and after affording the institutional board of trustees an opportunity to be heard, shall have authority to withdraw approval of any existing program if it appears that the program is unproductive, excessively costly or unnecessarily duplicative. The Board shall review the productivity of academic degree programs every two years, using criteria specifically developed to determine program productivity.

(3a) The Board of Governors shall direct each constituent institution to adopt a policy that authorizes a minimum of two excused absences each academic year for religious observances required by the faith of a student. The policy may require that the student provide written notice of the request for an excused absence a reasonable time prior to the religious observance. The policy shall also provide that the student shall be given the opportunity to make up any tests or other work missed due to an excused absence for a religious observance.

(3b) The Board of Governors shall adopt a policy to be applied uniformly throughout The University of North Carolina to provide that any student enrolled in a constituent institution who is a National Guard service member placed onto State active duty status during an academic term shall be given an excused absence for the period of time the student is on active duty. The policy shall further provide all of the following:

a. The student shall be given the opportunity to make up any test or other work missed during the excused absence.

b. The student shall be given the option, when feasible, to continue classes and coursework during the academic term through online participation for the period of time the student is placed on active duty.

c. The student shall be given the option of receiving a temporary grade of "incomplete (IN)" or "absent from the final exam (AB)" for any course that the student was unable to complete as a result of being placed on State active duty status; however, the student must complete the course requirements within the period of time specified by the constituent institution to avoid receiving a failing grade for the course.

d. The student shall be permitted to drop, with no penalty, any course that the student was unable to complete as a result of being placed on State active duty status.

(3c) The Board of Governors shall adopt a policy requiring constituent institutions to be accredited in accordance with G.S. 116-11.4.

(4) The Board of Governors shall elect officers as provided in G.S. 116-14. Subject to the provisions of section 18 of this act [Session Laws 1971, Chapter 1244, section 18], the Board shall also elect, on nomination of the President, the chancellor of each of the constituent institutions and fix his compensation. The President shall make his nomination from a list of not fewer than two names recommended by the institutional board of trustees.

(4b) The Board of Governors shall encourage the constituent institutions to offer courses in American Sign Language as a modern foreign language.

(4c) The Board of Governors shall require each constituent institution to develop and implement a policy that recognizes the Cherokee language as a language for which a student may satisfy the foreign language course requirement for degree completion at the institution.

(5) The Board of Governors shall, on recommendation of the President and of the appropriate institutional chancellor, appoint and fix the compensation of all vice-chancellors, senior academic and administrative officers and persons having permanent tenure.

(5a) [Expired.]

(5b) The Board of Governors may by resolution provide that, until July 1, 1998, every president, vice-president, and other administrative officer of the University whom it elects and who is not subject to Chapter 126 of the General Statutes, and every chancellor, vice-chancellor, senior academic officer, senior administrative officer, and faculty member who serves a constituent institution or agency of the University and who is not subject to Chapter 126 of the General Statutes, shall retire on July 1 coincident with or next following his seventieth birthday, unless continued in service on a year-to-year basis in accordance with regulations adopted by the Board of Governors.

(6) The Board shall approve the establishment of any new publicly supported institution above the community college level.

(7) The Board shall set tuition and required fees at the institutions, not inconsistent with actions of the General Assembly.

(7a) The Board of Governors shall develop a uniform core set of notification principles regarding the tuition surcharge, including a process for each campus to notify students and parents at orientation and through each semester's tuition statements, and a process to provide appropriate advance notification to a student when the student is approaching the credit hour limit regarding the tuition surcharge. The Board of Governors shall direct each constituent institution to implement these procedures.

(8) The Board shall set enrollment levels of the constituent institutions.

(8a) The Board of Governors, after consultation with representatives from nonpublic schools, including representatives of nonpublic schools operated under Parts 1 and 3 of Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes, and after taking into consideration comments received from the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, shall adopt a policy regarding uniform admissions requirements for applicants from nonpublic schools lawfully operated under Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes. The policy shall not arbitrarily differentiate between applicants based upon whether the applicant attended a public or a lawfully operated nonpublic school.

(8b) The Board of Governors shall adopt a policy that prohibits any constituent institution from soliciting or using information regarding the accreditation of a secondary school located in North Carolina that a person attended as a factor affecting admissions, loans, scholarships, or other educational activity at the constituent institution, unless the accreditation was conducted by a State agency. For purposes of this subdivision, the term 'accreditation' shall include certification or any other similar approval process.

(9)a. The Board of Governors shall develop, prepare and present to the Governor and the General Assembly a single, unified recommended budget for all of the constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina. The recommendations shall consist of requests in three general categories: (i) funds for the continuing operation of each constituent institution, (ii) funds for salary increases for employees exempt from the North Carolina Human Resources Act and (iii) funds requested without reference to constituent institutions, itemized as to priority and covering such areas as new programs and activities, expansions of programs and activities, increases in enrollments, increases to accommodate internal shifts and categories of persons served, capital improvements, improvements in levels of operation and increases to remedy deficiencies, as well as other areas. The president may present to the General Assembly an updated estimate of tuition, fees, and other receipts by June 15 of each year to be included in the budget for the following fiscal year.

a1. The Board of Governors shall provide full documentation and justification of any enrollment change funding request at the time it is recommended. This documentation and justification shall include the following:

1. If the enrollment change funding request is based in whole or in part on enrollment growth, the most recent academic year's actual enrollment numbers in the same format in which the growth increase request is made. The actual enrollment numbers shall be the actual student credit hours (SCH) or full-time equivalencies (FTE).

2. If the enrollment change funding request is based in whole or in part on one or more metrics other than enrollment growth, including student performance, identification of any metric used, and the portion of the funding request based on that metric for each constituent institution.

b. Funds for the continuing operation of each constituent institution shall be appropriated directly to the institution. Funds for salary increases for employees exempt from the North Carolina Human Resources Act shall be appropriated to the Board in a lump sum for allocation to the institutions. Funds for the third category in paragraph a of this subdivision shall be appropriated to the Board in a lump sum for allocation to the institutions. The Board shall make allocations among the institutions in accordance with the Board's schedule of priorities and any specifications in the Current Operations Appropriations Act. When both the Board and the Director of the Budget deem it to be in the best interest of the State, funds in the third category may be allocated, in whole or in part, for other items within the list of priorities or for items not included in the list. Provided, nothing herein shall be construed to allow the General Assembly, except as to capital improvements, to refer to particular constituent institutions in any specifications as to priorities in the third category.

c. The Director of the Budget may, on recommendation of the Board, authorize transfer of appropriated funds from one institution to another to provide adjustments for over or under enrollment or may make any other adjustments among institutions that would provide for the orderly and efficient operation of the institutions.

d. Repealed by Session Laws 1987, c. 795, s. 27.

e. For the purposes of allocating enrollment funding to constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina, beginning with the 2021-2022 fiscal year, the Board of Governors shall allocate funds each fiscal year to constituent institutions on the same basis as full-time students enrolled in a curriculum program for up to 100 resident full-time students enrolled in either a four-semester or eight-semester certificate accomplishment program approved by the United States Department of Education as a Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP) pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1140f - 1140i. If more than 100 resident full-time students are enrolled in CTPs at constituent institutions in any academic year, the Board of Governors shall allocate funds to each eligible constituent institution on a pro rata basis.

f. Digital learning student credit hours provided with the support of a nonprofit corporation established by The University of North Carolina System Office pursuant to G.S. 116-30.20 shall not be included in an enrollment change funding request under sub-subdivision a1. of this subdivision.

(9a) The Board of Governors shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Office of State Budget and Management by March 1 of each year regarding the sum of facilities and administrative fees and overhead receipts for The University of North Carolina that are collected and expended by each constituent institution. The report shall include all of the following information:

a. The collection of facilities and administrative fees and overhead receipts by grant or program.

b. The use of facilities and administrative fees and overhead receipts showing expenditures by grant or program.

c. The sum of facilities and administrative fees and overhead receipts collected or expended by each constituent institution for maintenance and operation of facilities that were constructed with or at any time operated by funds from the General Fund.

(9b) The Board of Governors shall report by February 1 of each year to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Education/Higher Education, the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, and the Fiscal Research Division on the actions and adjustments necessary to its budgetary policies, regulations, and standards resulting from the Current Operations Appropriations Act for the administration and operation of The University of North Carolina and the distribution of State and federal funds to constituent institutions. The report shall include at least the following information for each constituent institution:

a. Guidelines related to State salaries of University of North Carolina employees, including range, median, and mean of faculty salaries at the institution.

b. Budget allocations and reductions, including for operating expenses and specific programs.

c. Distribution of additional State allocations for enrollment funding.

d. Use of State funds and budget flexibility.

e. Availability of federal funds.

f. Tuition and fees.

g. Composition of the student population at the institution, including headcount enrollment and full-time student enrollment for both undergraduate and graduate students, and aggregate data on residency status, median household income, gender, race, and ethnicity.

h. Student retention and graduation rates.

i. Postsecondary educational attainment rate at the institution, including comparison to statewide data.

j. A comparison to prior fiscal year expenditures and appropriations.

k. The total amount of mandatory student fee revenue collected by institution and fee type.

l. Any source of student auxiliary revenue that represents greater than ten percent (10%) of the overall student auxiliary revenue by institution and revenue type.

m. Any source of sales revenue that represents greater than ten percent (10%) of the overall sales revenue by institution and sales revenue type.

(10) The Board shall collect and disseminate data concerning higher education in the State. To this end it shall work cooperatively with the Community Colleges System Office and shall seek the assistance of the private colleges and universities. It may prescribe for the constituent institutions such uniform reporting practices and policies as it may deem desirable.

(10a) The Board of Governors, the State Board of Community Colleges, and the State Board of Education, in consultation with nonprofit postsecondary educational institutions shall plan a system to provide an exchange of information among the public schools and institutions of higher education to be implemented no later than June 30, 1995. As used in this section, "institutions of higher education" shall mean (i) public higher education institutions defined in G.S. 116-143.1(a)(3), and (ii) those nonprofit postsecondary educational institutions as described in G.S. 116-280 that choose to participate in the information exchange. The information shall include:

a. The number of high school graduates who apply to, are admitted to, and enroll in institutions of higher education;

b. College performance of high school graduates for the year immediately following high school graduation including each student's: need for remedial coursework at the institution of higher education that the student attends; performance in standard freshmen courses; and continued enrollment in a subsequent year in the same or another institution of higher education in the State;

c. The progress of students from one institution of higher education to another; and

d. Consistent and uniform public school course information including course code, name, and description.

The Department of Public Instruction shall generate and the local school administrative units shall use standardized transcripts in an automated format for applicants to higher education institutions. The standardized transcript shall include grade point average, class rank, end-of-course test scores, and uniform course information including course code, name, units earned toward graduation, and credits earned for admission from an institution of higher education. The grade point average and class rank shall be calculated by a standard method to be devised by the institutions of higher education.

(10b) The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall report to each community college and to the State Board of Community Colleges on the academic performance of that community college's transfer students.

(10c) The Board of Governors shall require each constituent institution to adhere fully to the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement between The University of North Carolina and the North Carolina Community College System that addresses the transfer of courses and academic credits between the two systems and the admission of transfer students. The Board of Governors shall further ensure that the agreement is applied consistently among the constituent institutions. The University of North Carolina and the North Carolina Community College System shall conduct biannual joint reviews of the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement to ensure that the agreement is fair, current, and relevant for all students and institutions and shall report their findings to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, including all revisions to the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement and reports of noncompliance by November 1 of each year. The University of North Carolina and the North Carolina Community College System shall also jointly develop an articulation agreement advising tool for students, parents, and faculty to simplify the course transfer and admissions process.

(11) The Board shall assess the contributions and needs of the private colleges and universities of the State and shall give advice and recommendations to the General Assembly to the end that the resources of these institutions may be utilized in the best interest of the State.

(12) The Board shall give advice and recommendations concerning higher education to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the boards of trustees of the institutions.

(12a) Repealed by Session Laws 2013-226, s. 4, effective July 3, 2013, applicable beginning with the 2013-2014 school year.

(12b) The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall designate the UNC programs that will comprise the UNC Center for School Leadership Development. The Board of Governors shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly a single, unified recommended budget for the continued operation and expansion of the programs in the Center for School Leadership Development.

(12c) Repealed by Session Laws 2011-266, s. 1.41(b), effective June 23, 2011.

(12d) The Board of Governors shall provide a comprehensive annual report on educator preparation efforts at The University of North Carolina. The report shall include information about educator preparation and recruitment, initiatives to improve educator quality, student success measures, and strategic research and related efforts. The educator preparation report shall be due on October 15 of each year to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. The Board shall provide a copy of the report to the State Board of Education.

(12e) The Board of Governors shall develop and operate an anonymous tip line in accordance with G.S. 115C-105.51 for all public secondary schools, as defined in that section, operated under the control of the Board of Governors.

(13) The Board may delegate any part of its authority over the affairs of any institution to the board of trustees or, through the President, to the chancellor of the institution in any case where such delegation appears necessary or prudent to enable the institution to function in a proper and expeditious manner. The Board may delegate any part of its authority over the affairs of The University of North Carolina to the President in any case where such delegation appears necessary or prudent to enable The University of North Carolina to function in a proper and expeditious manner. Any delegation of authority may be rescinded by the Board at any time in whole or in part.

(13a) The Board of Governors may authorize the President to purchase commercial insurance of any kind to cover all risks or potential liability of the University, the Board of Governors, boards of trustees, other administrative or oversight boards, the President, the University benefit plan administrators, and employees of the University relating to the management, direction, and administration of University employee benefit plans, including the risks and potential liability related to benefit plan investments managed by the University.

Members of the Board of Governors, boards of trustees, other administrative and oversight boards, and employees of the University shall be considered State employees for purposes of Articles 31 and 31A of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes. To the extent that the President purchases commercial liability insurance coverage in excess of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) per claim for liability arising under Article 31 or 31A of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, the provisions of G.S. 143-299.4 shall not apply. To the extent that the President purchases commercial insurance coverage for liability arising under Article 31 or 31A of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, the provisions of G.S. 143-300.6(a) shall not apply.

The purchase of insurance by the President under this section shall not be construed to waive sovereign immunity or any other defense available to the University, the Board of Governors, boards of trustees, other administrative and oversight boards, the President, University benefit plan administrators, and employees of the University in an action or contested matter in any court, agency, or tribunal. The purchase of insurance by the President shall not be construed to alter or expand the limitations on claims or payments established in G.S. 143-299.2 or limit the right of the University, the Board of Governors, boards of trustees, other administrative or oversight boards, the President, University benefit plan administrators, and employees of the University to defense by the State as provided by G.S. 143-300.3.

(13b) Notwithstanding G.S. 114-2.3, G.S. 147-17, or any other provision of law, the Board may authorize the President to designate legal counsel, including private counsel, as the President deems necessary to represent the interests of the Board, The University of North Carolina, any constituent institution, or officer or employee of The University of North Carolina in any matter, case, or proceeding in or before any court or agency of this State, any other state, or the United States. The authority provided pursuant to this subdivision includes the discretion to designate whether legal representation in any given matter is provided by the Attorney General's office, attorneys employed on the legal affairs staff of The University of North Carolina, private counsel, or a combination thereof. In those instances when the President employs counsel in addition to or other than the Attorney General, the President may designate lead counsel to possess final decision-making authority with respect to the representation, counsel, or service for The University of North Carolina. Other counsel for The University of North Carolina shall, consistent with the Rules of Professional Conduct, cooperate with such designated lead counsel. The Board may authorize the expenditure of funds to hire private counsel to represent the Board, The University of North Carolina, and any constituent institution. G.S. 114-2.3(d), 143C-6-9(b), and 147-17(c1) shall not apply to these expenditures.

(14) The Board shall possess all powers not specifically given to institutional boards of trustees. (1971, c. 1244, s. 1; 1979, c. 862, s. 8; c. 896, s. 13; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1130, s. 1; 1983, c. 163; c. 717, ss. 29, 30; c. 761, s. 113; 1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 1019, s. 2; 1985, c. 757, s. 152; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 955, ss. 23-27; 1987, c. 795, s. 27; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 880, ss. 2, 6; c. 1039, s. 25; 1993, c. 407, s. 2; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 677, s. 14; 1995, c. 288, s. 3; 1997-221, s. 12(b); 1997-240, s. 3; 1998-212, s. 11.12(a); 1999-84, s. 19; 2001-424, s. 31.4(b); 2005-276, s. 9.34(b); 2006-66, s. 9.17(a); 2006-95, s. 2.2; 2006-203, s. 40; 2007-154, s. 3(a); 2008-107, s. 9.8; 2008-204, s. 4.1; 2010-31, s. 9.3(a); 2010-112, s. 3; 2011-145, s. 9.18(g); 2011-266, s. 1.41(b); 2011-306, s. 1; 2012-142, ss. 9.4(a), (b), 9.15; 2013-72, s. 1; 2013-226, s. 4; 2013-322, s. 1; 2013-325, s. 2; 2013-360, s. 11.6(a); 2013-382, s. 9.1(c); 2017-57, ss. 6.7(h), 10.1; 2017-155, s. 1(a); 2018-5, s. 7.26(e); 2020-78, s. 3.1; 2020-97, ss. 3.5, 3.6; 2021-80, ss. 2.2(b), 2.4(d); 2021-180, s. 8.24(e); 2022-74, s. 8.1; 2023-132, s. 3.1(a).)