Enrollment Policy Advisory Committee
Guiding Principles for Enrollment Growth
In its consideration of the opportunities and the implications of growth, the
Enrollment Policy Advisory Committee has identified the guiding principles listed below
as fundamental to maintaining the educational quality and character of the campus.
While each principle addresses an important issue, the items are interrelated. Indeed, the
Committee views this process much as a biologist views a living system—many factors
contribute to an ecology that requires balance and inter-dependence for the system to
flourish. The Committee views the University similarly.
At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for example, undergraduate
education cannot be pursued independent of graduate education, professional education,
and research if we are to recruit the best students and faculty and if we wish to offer the
finest education we are capable of providing. With this understanding, the following
principles should guide growth at the University.

Sustain quality. Quality is a hallmark of UNC-Chapel Hill, and its quality
should not suffer due to growth. This tenet should remain at the heart of all
discussions concerning growth. Enrollment increases should be weighed
carefully to assure that they do not negatively impact the undergraduate
educational experience.

Develop freedom and flexibility relative to the current in-state/out-of-state
enrollment ratio of 82:18. The historical commitment of the University to
provide access to the citizens of the State is clear, and the 82/18 ratio provides
substantial opportunities for in-state students while permitting the enrollment of
talented out-of-state students who bring an attractive cultural and academic
diversity to the campus. Still, there is nothing inherently sacred about the 18
percent out-of-state enrollment cap. The University should be afforded the
freedom and the flexibility to determine the mix of the student body as it grows
and as it interprets its institutional mission and role within the State.

No enrollment growth without space provided in advance; work to maximize
use of current space. Growth creates tremendous demands on classroom,
residential and support service space. The University should not grow without
adequate and appropriate space being earmarked – designated from existing,
renovated or new space – in advance. At the same time, we must work hard to
maximize use of current space.

No enrollment growth without faculty growth. Sustaining Carolina’s quality
during anticipated growth cannot be achieved without maintaining an optimal
faculty-student ratio. Indeed, the faculty-student ratio should not be permitted to
rise above its current level. Moreover, efforts should be made to reduce the
faculty-student ratio in the College of Arts and Sciences as it seeks to meet the
educational demands of a growing student population.

Maintain small class size. In addition to an appropriate faculty-student ratio,
maintaining small class size is important. This goal can be achieved in part by
new programs, such as the First Year Seminars, which will enroll no more than 20
students each, as well as expansion of old, well-respected ones, such as the
Honors Program, which also relies on small classes. Besides enhancing the
educational experience, the small classes help break down the anonymity students
can experience at a large university.

Commitment to a distinct mission for graduate and professional education.
UNC-Chapel Hill has a distinguished history in graduate and professional
education. Under any growth scenario, the University should expect to absorb its
current market share of the anticipated growth system wide in professional and
graduate education. The University must continue to serve the professional and
research needs of the State. Moreover, a significant decrease in the percentage of
high quality graduate and professional students will detrimentally affect
recruitment of top-caliber faculty members.

Increase enrollment from the top of the enrollment pool. Carolina should not
settle for simply increasing enrollment by admitting more students from deeper in
the enrollment pool. Rather, through special recruiting initiatives and
programmatic changes, the University should attempt to increase its share of
students from the very top ranks of the pool.

Promote enrollment through enhanced honors program, merit-based
scholarships, and recruitment that includes direct faculty interaction with
top prospective students. Several programmatic changes can help address the
University’s desire to enroll the very best students. The highly regarded Honors
Program, for example, could be expanded as a draw for outstanding students.
(Increased faculty would be necessary.) Many extremely bright students who
failed to acquire top scholarships at Carolina in the past have ultimately decided
to enroll elsewhere. The University’s involvement in the National Merit
Scholarship Program now offers a financial incentive to convince those students
to enroll here, as could additional merit scholarships. Likewise, more
personalized attention to top prospects – such as a faculty mentor program or
special meetings between students and faculty or alumni – also could encourage
enrollment.

Explore the potential of absorbing some growth through distance learning
opportunities. Computing, Internet, and video technologies may have potential
to increase access to the learning resources of the campus.


Maintain the residential character of campus. UNC-Chapel Hill traditionally
has offered an outstanding residential college experience. Students are 24-hour-aday learners, with only a small portion of that time actually spent in the
classroom. The residential experience is tremendously important, especially to
the average undergraduate.
Seek to improve the five-year graduation rate. Carolina already boasts an
outstanding five-year graduation rate (approximately 80 percent), but there is
always room for improvement. Increasing the five-year rate would free up
academic and residential space for the University to accommodate additional
undergraduates without taxing campus resources.

Maintain a commitment to diversity. UNC-Chapel Hill takes justifiable pride
in the diversity of its educational community. Enrollment growth should enhance
student diversity on the campus. Indeed, the University should seek new ways to
ensure that its educational opportunities are available to students of all
backgrounds.

Maintain a commitment to access through student financial aid. Carolina has
a proud history of, and an uncommon commitment to, need-based student aid
policies that ensure access to needy students regardless of their family income.
This commitment, and Carolina’s associated need-blind admission policy, should
be sustained given any enrollment growth scenario.

Educational resources should keep pace with the growth of the student body.
Many factors comprise an instructional climate of excellence. Academic and
student services staff, library resources, and computing and network resources, for
example, should be made available to a growing student population in at least
their current concentrations.
Redraft, October 31, 2001
Presented to Deans’ Council, December 6, 2001
Presented to ECFC, January 14, 2002
Final Draft: February 27, 2002
Approved: March 1, 2002
Amended and Approved by Chancellor Moeser and the
Vice Chancellors: March 20, 2002