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UNC at Chapel Hill is supported by the state, so why does the University ask for private donations?
What is Carolina raising money for?
Why doesn't Carolina just raise its tuition?
How are private gifts helping the University?
What percentage of gifts to Carolina support academics over athletics?
Can I specify how my gifts will be used?
What is the difference between the SILS Annual Fund and other funds associated with the University?
UNC at Chapel Hill is supported by the state, so why does the University ask for private donations?
North Carolina taxpayers generously support the University. In fact, our state appropriation from the legislature is 31 percent, one of the highest in the nation on a per capita basis.
But private gifts allow Carolina to bridge the gulf between good and exceptional. Scholarships are a prime example: private funds provide many more scholarships than do state funds. Private funds also are the source of many of our endowed professorships, teaching awards and special acquisition funds for the libraries.
What is Carolina raising money for?
The $5 million in private support generated by the Carolina First campaign will allow the School to increase enrollment, improve programs, attract and retain high-caliber faculty and serve the state and nation better.
Why doesn't Carolina just raise its tuition?
Tuition levels throughout the state system are set by the state legislature. The tradition of low tuition at Carolina goes back to the state constitution, which states: “The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of The University of North Carolina and other public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State free of expense” (North Carolina Constitutional and Statutory Provisions with Respect to Higher Education, Institute of Government, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1988).
In 2004, tuition and fees were about $4,400 a year for an in-state student and $17,500 for an out-of-state student. Despite low in-state tuition, one-third of all Carolina undergraduates receive need-based financial aid.
How are private gifts helping the University?
Our ability to offer a quality education hinges in large part on private
funds. This support translates into meaningful, personal experiences
that touch many aspects of the SILS community - from scholarships for
bright and deserving students to professorships that reward energetic
faculty with the gift of time and funding for research and teaching.
Scholarships can make all the difference for potential students. As one student told us, “I had not a nickel to my name when I applied to graduate school.” Without support from a fellowship, she
said, pursuit of her doctoral degree would not be possible. Private support also may translate into paying for books or a laptop computer.
In the case of faculty, a recent professorship permitted travel to
attend workshops on digital preservation and access, inspiring a new
focus to one professor's research and teaching. During her paid
sabbatical she wrote grants that led to the school's receipt of a major
national grant to examine how users manage their digital desktops.
We believe that we can serve the public good by putting information to
use in the real world. Your support helps us make this possible by
educating tomorrow's leaders, attracting and retaining the best faculty,
conducting research that focuses on the public good, and maintaining and
enhancing the physical space that is the setting for this unique
educational experience. Your donation makes a difference, and we are
most grateful.
What percentage of gifts to Carolina support academics over athletics?
Carolina is fortunate to be an institution of world-renowned academic stature that also excels in athletics. Both academics and athletics receive generous support from donors who clearly recognize the importance of maintaining and enhancing Carolina's margin of excellence.
Of the $145 million raised in fiscal year 1999 from gifts and private grants to the University, $131.7 million — 91 percent — was directed to academics. Donations to athletics accounted for $13.3 million of the 1999 total.
Can I specify how my gifts will be used?
Absolutely. You can give to any existing fund in honor of or in memory of faculty, family, friends or alumni. You may give to any of these existing funds within the School or make an unrestricted gift:
Akers Scholarship (2905)
Asheim Scholarship (2990)
Bishop Scholarship (2910)
Burmeister Computer & Information Science Fellowship (2913)
Campbell Dean's Fund (2922)
Carnegie Foundation Library Science Endowment (2952)
Carnegie Foundation Library Science Tutitional Fellowship (2953)
Dean's Fund (2914)
Gambee Memorial Fund (2918)
SILS General Scholarship (2939)
Glenn Endowment (2928)
Henderson Lecture (2923)
Holley Student Research Fund (2948)
Hooker Fellowship in Applied Networking (2917)
ibiblio (2924)
International Programs (2937)
Kalp Fellowship (2931)
Kilgour Faculty Development Fund (2926)
McColl Term Professorship (2927)
Moore Fellowship in Children's Library Services (2938)
OCLC/Kilgour Lecture in Information and Library Science (2944)
SILS Renovation Fund (2936)
Special Fellowship for Library Work with Children (2907)
Steinfirst Memorial Lecture in Children's Literature (2904)
SILS Faculty Teaching Award (2954)
Tuttle Endowed Scholarship (2943)
SILS Unrestricted Fund (2902)
Wilson Fellowship (2946)
Yuan Award (2908)
What are unrestricted gifts?
Thousands of donors every year make gifts to the University without specifying how their money should be spent. They simply give to Carolina. Unrestricted gifts are crucial because they provide the greatest flexibility and allow the University to use the money where it needs it most.
What is the difference between the SILS Annual Fund and other funds associated with the University?
The SILS Annual Fund raises money annually for the School. The Carolina Annual Fund is a part of the Carolina First Campaign, and it raises money annually for all academic programs at UNC (for example, the Phonathon is a Carolina Annual Fund program). You and your spouse can give to SILS through us or the Carolina Annual Fund.
The SILS Alumni Association collects annual or life membership dues to support alumni activities and publications.
The General Alumni Association collects annual or life membership dues to support alumni activities and publications, such as the Carolina Alumni Review.
The Educational Foundation (The Ram's Club) seeks support for athletic scholarships, facilities and programs.