University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Encyclopedia
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC), also known as UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte, is a public
research university located in Charlotte, North Carolina
, United States. UNC Charlotte offers 19 doctoral, 62 master's, and 90 bachelor's degree programs through 9 colleges: the College of Arts + Architecture, the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the Belk College of Business, the College of Computing and Informatics, the College of Education, the William States Lee College of Engineering, the College of Health and Human Services, the Honors College, and the University College.
UNC Charlotte has four campuses: Charlotte Research Institute Campus, Uptown Charlotte Campus, South Charlotte Campus (Ballantyne), and the main campus, located in University City. The main campus sits on 1,000 wooded acres with approximately 75 buildings about 10 miles (16.1 km) from Downtown Charlotte.
The university is the largest institution of higher education in the Charlotte region, which is the second largest banking center in the United States. The university is recognized as one of the most innovative in the country, producing more start-up small businesses than any other college or university in the nation.
, but lost to the city of Raleigh
after a local farmer offered to donate land for the campus. In 1946, the city sought a state-run medical school; instead, the state expanded the existing two-year school
at UNC-Chapel Hill
.
On September 23, 1946, the State of North Carolina
opened the Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina with an enrollment of 278 students. It was originally founded to serve the education needs of returning World War II veterans. Like many of the United States' "post–World War II" universities, it owes its inception to the G.I. Bill and its effects on public education
. In 1949, when the state closed the centers, the Charlotte Center was taken over by the city school district and became Charlotte College, a two-year institution. It was first funded by student tuition payments, then by local property taxes. Classes were held at Central High School near uptown Charlotte, but by 1957, enrollment increased to 492, and the school's leaders began searching for a permanent site for the campus. They decided on a 250 acre (1 km²) tract of land northeast of the city near the Cabarrus County
border. The college became state-supported in 1958 upon joining the newly formed North Carolina Community College System
and moved to its current location in 1961.
In 1963, Charlotte College became a four-year college. It adopted its current name July 1, 1965, upon becoming part of the Consolidated University of North Carolina, since 1972 called the University of North Carolina
. In 1969, the university began offering programs leading to masters degrees. In 1992, it was authorized to offer programs leading to doctoral degrees.
and N.C. Highway 49, about 10 miles (16 km) from Uptown Charlotte in the University City neighborhood. The campus is self-contained, meaning that no major roads run through the campus. The campus boasts several man made lakes
, and is heavily wooded. Near the center of campus are two gardens that attract over 300,000 visitors a year. Much of the architecture on the campus, particularly the oldest buildings, are precast concrete and utilitarian-looking because they were built with limited state funds in the 1960s and 1970s. Under the campus' third chancellor, James Woodward, the campus underwent major changes which continue today. The newest buildings, funded from state bonds, are being constructed in brick with neoclassical architecture. Concrete and asphalt sidewalks have largely been replaced by brick. The campus' road system is being upgraded to include landscaped medians and more trees.
(CRI Campus) on a tract of land originally named the Millennial Campus. This research-oriented campus focuses on precision metrology and intelligent manufacturing; opto-electronics and optical communication; and software and information technology. This campus brings together faculty, students, and outside researchers to work together.
The CRI Campus will also house the new, on-campus football stadium with 15,300 initial seats that can be expanded to more than 40,000. Ground breaking for the new facility which includes a 48000 square feet (4,459.3 m²) field house is scheduled for April, 2011.
Blue Line Extension
. The 12-story Center City Building was designed by world renowned architectural firm KieranTimberlake. It houses the MBA, Master of Urban design
program, as well as other graduate-level studies.
. At this campus, the University's College of Computing and Informatics (formerly the College of Information Technology) offers a limited number of graduate courses. The University occupies space in an office building for this campus.
ranked the university's undergraduate program in the first tier of national universities in the United States (191st overall). Washington Monthly ranked the university in its National University rankings based on the university's contribution to the public good. Forbes
also ranked the university among its annual rankings of overall higher education programs, and within its research universities category.
The university offers 90 baccalaureate (bachelors, undergraduate) programs, 62 master's degree programs, and 19 doctoral (PhD) programs. Fifteen degree and certificate programs are offered via distance education, from 25% to 100% online. There are nine colleges that make up UNC Charlotte. The largest is the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, which focuses on traditional academic disciplines such as mathematics
, history, social sciences, natural sciences, English, foreign languages, and literature. The College of Arts + Architecture offers art, theater, dance and music programs and houses the School of Architecture. The College of Education seeks to train primary and secondary school teachers in various subjects, and the College of Health and Human Services prepares students for careers in social work and athletic training, as well as nursing through the School of Nursing. The William States Lee College of Engineering teaches civil and environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, systems engineering, construction management, and engineering technology at the undergraduate level. The College of Computing & Informatics deals with computer science, computer programming, and bioinformatics, and the Belk College of Business offers programs in finance and business management, including a Masters of Business Administration program.
In addition to those colleges, the University College serves as a general education college for students who haven't declared a major, the Honors College seeks to provide students with a liberal arts college
experience, and the Graduate School works with the undergraduate colleges to provide programs leading to a master's or doctoral degree.
Family Foundation donated $9.3 million to the university to form the Levine Scholars program. The scholarship program, named for Leon and Sandra Levine, will provide a four-year scholarship to UNC Charlotte. The scholarship includes tuition, fees, books, room, laptop computer, and an $8,000 grant for community service initiatives.
In addition to the Levine Scholars, the university offers eleven other merit-based scholarship programs.
's The Waste Land
.
For athletics purposes, the school is known as simply Charlotte, a change made official by the athletic department on August 23, 2000. The athletic department sponsors sixteen varsity teams and competes in the NCAA's Division I. The university has been a full member of the Atlantic 10 Conference since 2005. On September 18, 2008, Chancellor Dubois recommended to add a Division I FCS football program to UNC Charlotte. On November 13, 2008, the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees voted 8–0 in favor of adding football to the University.
The nickname of the athletic team is the 49ers, indicative of the fact that UNC Charlotte (then Charlotte College) was saved from permanent closure in 1949. The mascot is "Norm the Niner," a gold miner. The school's colors are green and white; gold and black are both featured in the logo and frequently used in the uniforms of several sports.
Men's basketball, coached by Alan Major
, is the most followed sport on campus. The team has reached the NCAA Tournament
eleven times, including a trip to the Final Four in 1977. NBA
players that once suited up for the 49ers include Boston Celtics
great Cedric Maxwell
, DeMarco Johnson
, 2001 NBA Draft
lottery pick Rodney White
, and Eddie Basden
.
Women's basketball has seen a surge in popularity on campus over the past several years, with the 2003 team, led by coach Katie Meier
, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The team has made the WNIT in every season since then. Meier was succeeded in 2005 by Amanda Butler
, who left after two seasons to take over the same position at the University of Florida
. Karen Aston
took the reins for the 2007–08 season; Cara Consuegra will serve as head coach for the 2011 season.
Baseball has also experienced a resurgence at Charlotte, with the 2007 team posting a school-record 49 wins under coach Loren Hibbs
and winning two games over N.C. State
in the NCAA Tournament
. Baseball alums with Major League experience include Chris Haney
(Kansas City Royals
), John Maine
(New York Mets
), Jason Stanford
(Cleveland Indians
). Also Fieldin Culbreth
is a MLB umpire who worked the 2008 World Series. Other notable baseball alums include minor leaguers Adam Mills and Spencer Steedley. Adam was a finalist in 2007 for the Roger Clemens Award
. He is currently in the Boston Red Sox
system, while Steedley is in the Minnesota Twins
system.
The men's soccer team reached the College Cup in 1996. 49ers soccer players now playing in the MLS
include Floyd Franks
and Jon Busch
.
In September 2007, the Charlotte golf team became the top-rated golf team in the nation.
The men's and women's track and field teams have also made national berth, throughout the school's history. Their most notable athlete is Shareese Woods
. She is the most decorated athlete in school history, running professionally for ADIDAS.
UNC Charlotte will add a Division I FCS football team in 2013 and three new women's sports for Title IX
compliance in 2016, 2019 and 2022 respectively.
The 49ers athletic performance overall has averaged 149th over the past five years, as shown in the NCADA Director's Cup Standings 2006–2010.
2010
Charlotte: 186th
2009
Charlotte: 225th
2008
Charlotte: 146th
2007
Charlotte: 140th
2006
Charlotte: 95th
A bronze statue of the 49ers Gold Miner sits in front of the Reese Administration building on campus. The statue recalls the region's history as a gold mining center and symbolizes the pioneering spirit and determination that has led to UNC Charlotte's dramatic growth..
, a Charlotte composer and music critic who lived in Germany at the time. Dr. Loy Witherspoon, a Professor of Religious Studies, commissioned the March in 1965 when he learned that Charlotte College would become a campus in The University of North Carolina system. The March was first performed in 1967 at the installation of Dean W. Colvard as UNC Charlotte's first chancellor. Afterwards, it was performed as a recessional at every Commencement during Dean W. Colvard's time as chancellor. When UNC Charlotte founder Bonnie Cone heard the March, she said, "I can hear an alma mater in it," referring to a hymn-like refrain. Dr. Robert Rieke, a professor of history, also heard an alma mater in it.
On a 1990 trip to Germany, Rieke visited Sutcliffe, picked up a recording of the March, and began writing words to fit the final refrain. On Christmas Eve 1991, he sent Bonnie Cone the words and music as a Christmas present to her and to the university, from which he had retired a year earlier.
Chancellor James. H. Woodward approved the composition as the university's Alma Mater in April 1992. It was sung for the first time at the following May Commencement and has been performed at every Commencement since.
Bonnie Ethel Cone
(1907–2003), or Miss Bonnie as she was known to students, was chosen to lead the Charlotte Center in 1946, and she was instrumental in convincing the state to keep the school open in 1949. She was the leader who chose the current site of the school and helped plan the original campus master plan. Until 1965, she served as president of Charlotte College. She stated that March 2, 1965 was the "happiest day of her life"; it was the day the North Carolina legislature voted to bring Charlotte College into the UNC system.
She served as an acting Chancellor
of the university until 1966, when Dean Colvard was selected as permanent chancellor. Even though she had led the college since 1946, the State wanted a leader with experience running a four-year, public university. Cone and the university were profiled in the July 16, 1965 issue of Time magazine. In the article, she stated, "we are not here to elevate ourselves but the institution," when asked about the chancellor position. She served in various official positions until her retirement in 1973, at which time the main campus's student union was renamed the Cone University Center.
Cone continued to work on behalf of the school in unofficial capacities until her death in March 2003. She is interred in the Van Landingham Gardens on the east side of the main campus, and a non-denominational meditation center is planned near the site. She is posthumously known as the founder of the school, a title she rejected during her lifetime because she felt many people had a hand in creating and building the university. During her lifetime, she received 10 honorary degrees and was inducted posthumously into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine
in recognition to her contributions to North Carolina history. In 2004, the stretch of U.S. Highway 29 near the main campus was officially renamed the "Dr. Bonnie Cone Memorial Highway."
(MSU). At MSU he was the first president to defy university policy of not playing against integrated teams when he ordered the men's basketball team to play Loyola University Chicago
in 1963. At UNC Charlotte, Colvard took on the challenge of converting the school from a junior college to a 4-year member of the UNC system. He oversaw accreditation of the university, development of University Research Park (now one of the top 5 largest research parks in the country), constructed the first residence halls, created the first graduate programs, and grew the enrollment from about 1,700 to just over 8,000 students. He retired as chancellor in 1978, served as Chancellor Emeritus
until his death. Colvard also received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. The Colvard building, completed on the main campus in 1979, is named in his honor and houses the Department of Psychology.
, the second chancellor of the university, was named in 1979. Fretwell came to the university from University at Buffalo
, where he was president. Under Fretwell, campus enrollment surged from 8,000 students to over 12,000. He oversaw the creation of the Graduate School, created more graduate degrees, integrated the library's card catalog into the Internet in 1983, created the ground work for a major business incubator, helped to develop the university's surrounding neighborhood, and increased academic grants to over $6.1 million dollars. Fretwell retired as chancellor in 1989. He served as interim president of the University of Massachusetts
from 1991–1992, and in 1998, he served as the interim president of the University of North Florida
. In 1996 UNC Charlotte opened the Fretwell building, dedicated in honor of him and his wife Dorrie. The building headquarters the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He and his wife live in Charlotte.
where he served as dean of engineering and senior vice president of academic affairs. Under Woodward, enrollment grew to over 19,000 students. Like his predecessors, he continued the growth of the Graduate School, and added various new doctoral programs. He also oversaw the largest fundraising campaign in the school's history and its largest building boom; as of the summer of 2005, no less than six buildings were actively under construction on the main campus. Woodward also oversaw creation of the CRI Campus. Woodward announced his retirement in 2004, and left the office of chancellor on June 30, 2005. Woodward Hall, the main campus's newest science and technology building, was dedicated in his honor on November 16, 2005. Woodward is currently serving as Chancellor Emeritus and teaches in the university's engineering department.
from 1997 through 2005. Previously, Dubois served as the Provost
and Professor of Political Science in the Department of Political Science (now the Department of Political Science and Public Administration) at UNC Charlotte from 1991 until 1997.
Dubois is the first chancellor, along with his wife and children, to occupy the new Chancellor's Residence (known as the Bissell House) on the UNC Charlotte campus that was completed in the winter of 2005. Dr. Dubois is expected to oversee the process of the University becoming the fourth research-extensive university in the state.
In addition to promoting the interests of UNC Charlotte, the Alumni Association acts as a network of UNC Charlotte graduates who assist each other in their personal, professional and social development, and recognize and cheer the accomplishments of their fellow members.
The association offers members a number of benefits and services. Some are in the form of information and communications, including a UNC Charlotte magazine and a quarterly electronic newsletter which keeps alumni up to date on news from the association and the university.
The only requirement for membership is that alumni maintain contact with the Office of Alumni Affairs, provide an up-to-date address for alumni files, and keep the association informed about their personal progress and career achievements.
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
research university located in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, United States. UNC Charlotte offers 19 doctoral, 62 master's, and 90 bachelor's degree programs through 9 colleges: the College of Arts + Architecture, the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the Belk College of Business, the College of Computing and Informatics, the College of Education, the William States Lee College of Engineering, the College of Health and Human Services, the Honors College, and the University College.
UNC Charlotte has four campuses: Charlotte Research Institute Campus, Uptown Charlotte Campus, South Charlotte Campus (Ballantyne), and the main campus, located in University City. The main campus sits on 1,000 wooded acres with approximately 75 buildings about 10 miles (16.1 km) from Downtown Charlotte.
The university is the largest institution of higher education in the Charlotte region, which is the second largest banking center in the United States. The university is recognized as one of the most innovative in the country, producing more start-up small businesses than any other college or university in the nation.
History
The city of Charlotte had sought a public university since 1871 but was never able to sustain one. For years, the nearest state-supported university was 90 miles (144.8 km) away. The city submitted a bid in the late 1880s for what would become North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
, but lost to the city of Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
after a local farmer offered to donate land for the campus. In 1946, the city sought a state-run medical school; instead, the state expanded the existing two-year school
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
The University of North Carolina School of Medicine is a professional school within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It offers a Doctor of Medicine degree along with combined Doctor of Medicine / Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Medicine / Master of Public Health degrees.It is one...
at UNC-Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
.
On September 23, 1946, the State of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
opened the Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina with an enrollment of 278 students. It was originally founded to serve the education needs of returning World War II veterans. Like many of the United States' "post–World War II" universities, it owes its inception to the G.I. Bill and its effects on public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
. In 1949, when the state closed the centers, the Charlotte Center was taken over by the city school district and became Charlotte College, a two-year institution. It was first funded by student tuition payments, then by local property taxes. Classes were held at Central High School near uptown Charlotte, but by 1957, enrollment increased to 492, and the school's leaders began searching for a permanent site for the campus. They decided on a 250 acre (1 km²) tract of land northeast of the city near the Cabarrus County
Cabarrus County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 131,063 people, 49,519 households, and 36,545 families residing in the county. The population density was 360 people per square mile . There were 52,848 housing units at an average density of 145 per square mile...
border. The college became state-supported in 1958 upon joining the newly formed North Carolina Community College System
North Carolina Community College System
The North Carolina Community College System is a statewide network of fifty-eight public community colleges. Each college has a distinct governance system and policies. In total, the system enrolls over 800,000 students, and is the third largest community college system in the nation...
and moved to its current location in 1961.
In 1963, Charlotte College became a four-year college. It adopted its current name July 1, 1965, upon becoming part of the Consolidated University of North Carolina, since 1972 called the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
. In 1969, the university began offering programs leading to masters degrees. In 1992, it was authorized to offer programs leading to doctoral degrees.
Campuses
Main Campus – University City
The University operates several campuses in Charlotte. The Main Campus is situated on just under 1,000 acres (4 km²) of rolling land between U.S. Route 29U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...
and N.C. Highway 49, about 10 miles (16 km) from Uptown Charlotte in the University City neighborhood. The campus is self-contained, meaning that no major roads run through the campus. The campus boasts several man made lakes
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
, and is heavily wooded. Near the center of campus are two gardens that attract over 300,000 visitors a year. Much of the architecture on the campus, particularly the oldest buildings, are precast concrete and utilitarian-looking because they were built with limited state funds in the 1960s and 1970s. Under the campus' third chancellor, James Woodward, the campus underwent major changes which continue today. The newest buildings, funded from state bonds, are being constructed in brick with neoclassical architecture. Concrete and asphalt sidewalks have largely been replaced by brick. The campus' road system is being upgraded to include landscaped medians and more trees.
Charlotte Research Institute Campus
Attached to the main campus is a 100 acre (0.4 km²) campus, created in 2000, called the Charlotte Research InstituteCharlotte Research Institute
The Charlotte Research Institute is a partnership between the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and corporations in the region. The goal of CRI is to develop technology-based academic and business partnerships, ranging from consultation to onsite collaborative research...
(CRI Campus) on a tract of land originally named the Millennial Campus. This research-oriented campus focuses on precision metrology and intelligent manufacturing; opto-electronics and optical communication; and software and information technology. This campus brings together faculty, students, and outside researchers to work together.
The CRI Campus will also house the new, on-campus football stadium with 15,300 initial seats that can be expanded to more than 40,000. Ground breaking for the new facility which includes a 48000 square feet (4,459.3 m²) field house is scheduled for April, 2011.
Uptown Charlotte Campus
The third campus is in Uptown Charlotte. This campus focuses on business and evening courses, thus catering to center city workers. Formerly located in the Mint Museum of Craft+Design, the Uptown campus moved into the Center City Building at 320 East Ninth Street, at the beginning of the Fall 2011 semester. It is next to the proposed 9th Street Station of the forthcoming LYNXLYNX Rapid Transit Services
Lynx Rapid Transit Services comprises a light rail line serviced by the Charlotte Area Transit System in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States...
Blue Line Extension
Blue Line Extension/Northeast Corridor (LYNX)
The Northeast Corridor or Blue Line Extension is the planned light rail extension for the LYNX Blue Line. It would connect directly with the existing Blue Line at the 7th Street station in Uptown Charlotte. The line will serve University City and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte...
. The 12-story Center City Building was designed by world renowned architectural firm KieranTimberlake. It houses the MBA, Master of Urban design
Urban design
Urban design concerns the arrangement, appearance and functionality of towns and cities, and in particular the shaping and uses of urban public space. It has traditionally been regarded as a disciplinary subset of urban planning, landscape architecture, or architecture and in more recent times has...
program, as well as other graduate-level studies.
South Charlotte Campus (Ballantyne)
The fourth campus is located in an area of South Charlotte called BallantyneBallantyne (neighborhood)
Ballantyne is a neighborhood in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina.It is a community located in south Charlotte, adjacent to the South Carolina border.The community was named after land developer Howard C. “Smoky” Bissell's aunt Barbara Ballantyne...
. At this campus, the University's College of Computing and Informatics (formerly the College of Information Technology) offers a limited number of graduate courses. The University occupies space in an office building for this campus.
Students
Of the 25,063 enrolled in the University in Fall 2010 (19,755 undergraduate), 47 percent are male and 53 percent female. Students come from all 50 states and over 80Student demographics
- Fall 2010 Enrollment: 25,063
- Undergraduate: 19,755
- Graduate: 5,308
- Freshmen: 4,650
- Faculty: 1350
- Student-faculty ratio: 15:1
- Average Classroom Size: 33
- Average Freshman SAT score: 1072
- Campus size: 1,000 acres (4.00 km²)
- African-American: 24.6%
- Asian: 4.6%
- White: 63.4%
- Hispanic: 2.6%
- Non-resident alien: 4.7%
- Native American: 0.1%
Academics
UNC Charlotte is classified as a doctoral/research university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. In 2011, U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
ranked the university's undergraduate program in the first tier of national universities in the United States (191st overall). Washington Monthly ranked the university in its National University rankings based on the university's contribution to the public good. Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
also ranked the university among its annual rankings of overall higher education programs, and within its research universities category.
The university offers 90 baccalaureate (bachelors, undergraduate) programs, 62 master's degree programs, and 19 doctoral (PhD) programs. Fifteen degree and certificate programs are offered via distance education, from 25% to 100% online. There are nine colleges that make up UNC Charlotte. The largest is the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, which focuses on traditional academic disciplines such as mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, history, social sciences, natural sciences, English, foreign languages, and literature. The College of Arts + Architecture offers art, theater, dance and music programs and houses the School of Architecture. The College of Education seeks to train primary and secondary school teachers in various subjects, and the College of Health and Human Services prepares students for careers in social work and athletic training, as well as nursing through the School of Nursing. The William States Lee College of Engineering teaches civil and environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, systems engineering, construction management, and engineering technology at the undergraduate level. The College of Computing & Informatics deals with computer science, computer programming, and bioinformatics, and the Belk College of Business offers programs in finance and business management, including a Masters of Business Administration program.
In addition to those colleges, the University College serves as a general education college for students who haven't declared a major, the Honors College seeks to provide students with a liberal arts college
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
experience, and the Graduate School works with the undergraduate colleges to provide programs leading to a master's or doctoral degree.
Scholarships
In 2009, UNC Charlotte received the largest single donation from a private source, when The Leon LevineLeon Levine
Leon Levine is an American businessman and philanthropist that founded the Family Dollar chain of discount stores.-Early life:...
Family Foundation donated $9.3 million to the university to form the Levine Scholars program. The scholarship program, named for Leon and Sandra Levine, will provide a four-year scholarship to UNC Charlotte. The scholarship includes tuition, fees, books, room, laptop computer, and an $8,000 grant for community service initiatives.
In addition to the Levine Scholars, the university offers eleven other merit-based scholarship programs.
Library system
UNC Charlotte's J. Murrey Atkins Library, named for the first chairman of the Board of Trustees of Charlotte College, has over a million books, diverse electronic and media resources, as well as an area for special collections. The recently renovated library includes a ten story tower that accentuates the library's place at the heart of UNC Charlotte's campus. In April 2007, Atkins received its one millionth volume, a copy of T. S. EliotT. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
's The Waste Land
The Waste Land
The Waste Land[A] is a 434-line[B] modernist poem by T. S. Eliot published in 1922. It has been called "one of the most important poems of the 20th century." Despite the poem's obscurity—its shifts between satire and prophecy, its abrupt and unannounced changes of speaker, location and time, its...
.
Athletics
The nickname of the athletic team is the 49ers, indicative of the fact that UNC Charlotte (then Charlotte College) was saved from permanent closure in 1949. The mascot is "Norm the Niner," a gold miner. The school's colors are green and white; gold and black are both featured in the logo and frequently used in the uniforms of several sports.
Men's basketball, coached by Alan Major
Alan Major
Alan Major is the head coach of the Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team. Before being named coach of the 49ers, Major spent nine years working with Thad Matta at Ohio State and Xavier universities. He is a 1992 graduate of Purdue.Major served as a student manager under Gene Keady during his...
, is the most followed sport on campus. The team has reached the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
eleven times, including a trip to the Final Four in 1977. NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
players that once suited up for the 49ers include Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
great Cedric Maxwell
Cedric Maxwell
Cedric Bryan Maxwell is a retired American professional basketball player now in radio broadcasting. Nicknamed "Cornbread", he played 11 seasons in the NBA, and played a key role in two championships with the Boston Celtics.-College career:Maxwell was a star forward/center for the Charlotte 49ers...
, DeMarco Johnson
DeMarco Johnson
DeMarco Antonio Johnson is an American professional basketball player.At 6'9", 245 lb forward, Johnson attended and played collegiately for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and was selected by the New York Knicks with the 9th pick of the 2nd round of the 1998 NBA Draft...
, 2001 NBA Draft
2001 NBA Draft
The 2001 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player drafted with the first overall pick...
lottery pick Rodney White
Rodney White
Rodney Charles White is an American professional basketball player currently playing in South Korea for the Anyang KGC Pro Basketball Club...
, and Eddie Basden
Eddie Basden
Edward Richard Basden is an American professional basketball player who formerly played in the National Basketball Association ....
.
Women's basketball has seen a surge in popularity on campus over the past several years, with the 2003 team, led by coach Katie Meier
Katie Meier
Katie Meier is the women's basketball head coach for the University of Miami. She is a 1990 graduate of Duke University, where she played college basketball.-Miami :...
, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The team has made the WNIT in every season since then. Meier was succeeded in 2005 by Amanda Butler
Amanda Butler
Amanda Butler is an American college basketball coach and former player. Butler is the current head coach of the Florida Gators women's basketball team of the University of Florida.- Career :...
, who left after two seasons to take over the same position at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. Karen Aston
Karen Aston
Karen Sue Aston is an American basketball player and coach. Since April of 2011 she has served as the head women's basketball coach at the University of North Texas. - Background :...
took the reins for the 2007–08 season; Cara Consuegra will serve as head coach for the 2011 season.
Baseball has also experienced a resurgence at Charlotte, with the 2007 team posting a school-record 49 wins under coach Loren Hibbs
Loren Hibbs
Loren Hibbs is an American baseball player and coach. Since 1993, he has served as the head baseball coach at UNC Charlotte.- Playing career :Hibbs played college baseball at Wichita State University...
and winning two games over N.C. State
NC State Wolfpack
The athletic teams of the North Carolina State University, known as the Wolfpack, compete in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports. NC State is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and has won eight national championships: two NCAA championships, two AIAW championships, and four titles...
in the NCAA Tournament
2007 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament was held from June 1-24, . Sixty four NCAA Division I college baseball teams advanced to the post season tournament after having played through a regular season, and for some, a conference tournament....
. Baseball alums with Major League experience include Chris Haney
Chris Haney
Christopher Deane Haney is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1991–2000 and in 2002 for the Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox. In 2001, he played in Japan for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. Haney gave up...
(Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
), John Maine
John Maine
John Kevin Maine is an American professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets. He bats and throws right-handed.-Early life and college:Maine was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia...
(New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
), Jason Stanford
Jason Stanford
Jason John Stanford is a former left-handed Major League Baseball starting pitcher. He is a 1995 graduate of Canyon del Oro High School in Oro Valley, Arizona, a suburb of Tucson. Stanford attended Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kansas in 1996 and 1997, where he was an Academic...
(Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
). Also Fieldin Culbreth
Fieldin Culbreth
Fieldin Henry Culbreth III is an umpire in Major League Baseball. A former pitcher and outfielder, Culbreth attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and began umpiring in college following an arm injury. He became a major league staff member in 1999...
is a MLB umpire who worked the 2008 World Series. Other notable baseball alums include minor leaguers Adam Mills and Spencer Steedley. Adam was a finalist in 2007 for the Roger Clemens Award
Roger Clemens Award
The Roger Clemens Award was an award that honored the top NCAA Division I college baseball pitcher of the year. The award was created prior to the 2004 season and succeeded the Rotary Smith Award....
. He is currently in the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
system, while Steedley is in the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
system.
The men's soccer team reached the College Cup in 1996. 49ers soccer players now playing in the MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
include Floyd Franks
Floyd Franks
Floyd Franks is an American soccer player currently playing for Carolina RailHawks in the North American Soccer League.-College and Amateur:...
and Jon Busch
Jon Busch
Jon Busch is an American soccer goalkeeper for the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
.
In September 2007, the Charlotte golf team became the top-rated golf team in the nation.
The men's and women's track and field teams have also made national berth, throughout the school's history. Their most notable athlete is Shareese Woods
Shareese Woods
Shareese Woods is a track and field athlete. She has competed internationally and has been on United States teams...
. She is the most decorated athlete in school history, running professionally for ADIDAS.
UNC Charlotte will add a Division I FCS football team in 2013 and three new women's sports for Title IX
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
compliance in 2016, 2019 and 2022 respectively.
The 49ers athletic performance overall has averaged 149th over the past five years, as shown in the NCADA Director's Cup Standings 2006–2010.
2010
Charlotte: 186th
2009
Charlotte: 225th
2008
Charlotte: 146th
2007
Charlotte: 140th
2006
Charlotte: 95th
Student organizations
A large number of student organizations are associated with the university. Ranging from Academic, Graduate, Honor Societies, Interest, International, Multicultural, Political, Religious, Service and Sports. UNC Charlotte also boasts a diverse Greek Life, with over 10 sororities and 14 fraternities serving the campus community.University name
The official name of the university is "The University of North Carolina at Charlotte." "UNC Charlotte" (no hyphen) is an acceptable nickname for the university, but the athletic department has used "Charlotte" exclusively for its sports teams since 2000.University nickname
The nickname, the 49ers, was chosen in recognition of the importance of the year 1949 in the history of the university. UNC Charlotte would have closed in 1949 had Bonnie Cone and her supporters not convinced the N.C. Legislature that Charlotte needed a permanent college. Charlotte College was established that year. It is fortuitous that the campus is also located on N.C. Highway 49 and that Charlotte has a rich gold mining history (the term "49ers" also symbolizing gold mining).A bronze statue of the 49ers Gold Miner sits in front of the Reese Administration building on campus. The statue recalls the region's history as a gold mining center and symbolizes the pioneering spirit and determination that has led to UNC Charlotte's dramatic growth..
University logo
UNC Charlotte's logo has become one of the Charlotte region's most distinctive insignia. It symbolizes the university's link to the UNC system, to the Charlotte metropolitan region, and to the discipline of learning. The logo is suggestive of a crown, reminiscent of Britain's Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of King George III, for whom the city of Charlotte is named. The crown also can be interpreted as a lamp of learning, a burning bush, an open book, the flowering of a plant or an individual, or a graduate in cap and gown. The letters "UNC" refer to The University of North Carolina, which was opened in 1795. The word "Charlotte" not only refers to the city but also to the surrounding 11-county metropolitan region: the university's primary service area and the area from which it draws more than 12,500 of its students..Alma mater
UNC Charlotte's Alma Mater have deep roots in the institution's history. It was part of an "Academic Festival March" composed for UNC Charlotte by James Helme SutcliffeJames Helme Sutcliffe
James Helme Sutcliffe was an American composer and music critic.- Biography :...
, a Charlotte composer and music critic who lived in Germany at the time. Dr. Loy Witherspoon, a Professor of Religious Studies, commissioned the March in 1965 when he learned that Charlotte College would become a campus in The University of North Carolina system. The March was first performed in 1967 at the installation of Dean W. Colvard as UNC Charlotte's first chancellor. Afterwards, it was performed as a recessional at every Commencement during Dean W. Colvard's time as chancellor. When UNC Charlotte founder Bonnie Cone heard the March, she said, "I can hear an alma mater in it," referring to a hymn-like refrain. Dr. Robert Rieke, a professor of history, also heard an alma mater in it.
On a 1990 trip to Germany, Rieke visited Sutcliffe, picked up a recording of the March, and began writing words to fit the final refrain. On Christmas Eve 1991, he sent Bonnie Cone the words and music as a Christmas present to her and to the university, from which he had retired a year earlier.
Chancellor James. H. Woodward approved the composition as the university's Alma Mater in April 1992. It was sung for the first time at the following May Commencement and has been performed at every Commencement since.
Administration timeline
| Chancellors of UNC Charlotte | Years as Chancellor | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bonnie Ethel Cone Bonnie Ethel Cone Bonnie Ethel Cone was an American educator best known as the founder of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.-Early life:... |
(founder; director, 1946–1949; president, 1949–1965; acting chancellor, 1965–1966) |
| 2 | Dean W. Colvard Dean W. Colvard Dean Wallace Colvard is a former president of Mississippi State University, notable for his role in a 1963 controversy surrounding the integration of that school's athletic teams.... |
(1966–1978) |
| 3 | E.K. Fretwell E.K. Fretwell Elbert K. Fretwell Jr. Ph.D. is an American academic and Chancellor Emeritus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was born in New York and is the son of Elbert K. Fretwell who served was the second Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. He and his wife live in... |
(1979–1989) |
| 4 | James H. Woodward | (1989–2005) |
| 5 | Phil Dubois Phil DuBois Phillip Donn DuBois is a former American football tight end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He also played for the Washington Federals of the United States Football League. DuBois played college football at San Diego State University.He currently resides in... |
(2005–current) |
Bonnie Ethel Cone, founder
Bonnie Ethel Cone
Bonnie Ethel Cone was an American educator best known as the founder of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.-Early life:...
(1907–2003), or Miss Bonnie as she was known to students, was chosen to lead the Charlotte Center in 1946, and she was instrumental in convincing the state to keep the school open in 1949. She was the leader who chose the current site of the school and helped plan the original campus master plan. Until 1965, she served as president of Charlotte College. She stated that March 2, 1965 was the "happiest day of her life"; it was the day the North Carolina legislature voted to bring Charlotte College into the UNC system.
She served as an acting Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the university until 1966, when Dean Colvard was selected as permanent chancellor. Even though she had led the college since 1946, the State wanted a leader with experience running a four-year, public university. Cone and the university were profiled in the July 16, 1965 issue of Time magazine. In the article, she stated, "we are not here to elevate ourselves but the institution," when asked about the chancellor position. She served in various official positions until her retirement in 1973, at which time the main campus's student union was renamed the Cone University Center.
Cone continued to work on behalf of the school in unofficial capacities until her death in March 2003. She is interred in the Van Landingham Gardens on the east side of the main campus, and a non-denominational meditation center is planned near the site. She is posthumously known as the founder of the school, a title she rejected during her lifetime because she felt many people had a hand in creating and building the university. During her lifetime, she received 10 honorary degrees and was inducted posthumously into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine
Order of the Long Leaf Pine
The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, created in 1965, is an honor that can be granted in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The Longleaf Pine is the official state tree of North Carolina. As of Dec 31, 2006, the Order has been awarded to 6,672 individuals....
in recognition to her contributions to North Carolina history. In 2004, the stretch of U.S. Highway 29 near the main campus was officially renamed the "Dr. Bonnie Cone Memorial Highway."
Dean W. Colvard
Dean W. Colvard (1913–2007) was appointed the first chancellor of the young university in 1966. A North Carolina native, Colvard had served as president of Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
(MSU). At MSU he was the first president to defy university policy of not playing against integrated teams when he ordered the men's basketball team to play Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
in 1963. At UNC Charlotte, Colvard took on the challenge of converting the school from a junior college to a 4-year member of the UNC system. He oversaw accreditation of the university, development of University Research Park (now one of the top 5 largest research parks in the country), constructed the first residence halls, created the first graduate programs, and grew the enrollment from about 1,700 to just over 8,000 students. He retired as chancellor in 1978, served as Chancellor Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
until his death. Colvard also received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. The Colvard building, completed on the main campus in 1979, is named in his honor and houses the Department of Psychology.
E.K. Fretwell
E.K. FretwellE.K. Fretwell
Elbert K. Fretwell Jr. Ph.D. is an American academic and Chancellor Emeritus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was born in New York and is the son of Elbert K. Fretwell who served was the second Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. He and his wife live in...
, the second chancellor of the university, was named in 1979. Fretwell came to the university from University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
, where he was president. Under Fretwell, campus enrollment surged from 8,000 students to over 12,000. He oversaw the creation of the Graduate School, created more graduate degrees, integrated the library's card catalog into the Internet in 1983, created the ground work for a major business incubator, helped to develop the university's surrounding neighborhood, and increased academic grants to over $6.1 million dollars. Fretwell retired as chancellor in 1989. He served as interim president of the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
from 1991–1992, and in 1998, he served as the interim president of the University of North Florida
University of North Florida
The University of North Florida is a public university located in Jacksonville, Florida. A member institution of the State University System of Florida, the university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s...
. In 1996 UNC Charlotte opened the Fretwell building, dedicated in honor of him and his wife Dorrie. The building headquarters the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He and his wife live in Charlotte.
James H. Woodward
James H. Woodward succeeded Fretwell in 1989. Woodward came to UNC Charlotte from the University of Alabama at BirminghamUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
where he served as dean of engineering and senior vice president of academic affairs. Under Woodward, enrollment grew to over 19,000 students. Like his predecessors, he continued the growth of the Graduate School, and added various new doctoral programs. He also oversaw the largest fundraising campaign in the school's history and its largest building boom; as of the summer of 2005, no less than six buildings were actively under construction on the main campus. Woodward also oversaw creation of the CRI Campus. Woodward announced his retirement in 2004, and left the office of chancellor on June 30, 2005. Woodward Hall, the main campus's newest science and technology building, was dedicated in his honor on November 16, 2005. Woodward is currently serving as Chancellor Emeritus and teaches in the university's engineering department.
Phillip Dubois
Phillip Dubois is the fourth and current chancellor of the University. Dr. Dubois assumed his current duties as chancellor on July 15, 2005. He returns to Charlotte after serving as the president of the University of WyomingUniversity of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
from 1997 through 2005. Previously, Dubois served as the Provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
and Professor of Political Science in the Department of Political Science (now the Department of Political Science and Public Administration) at UNC Charlotte from 1991 until 1997.
Dubois is the first chancellor, along with his wife and children, to occupy the new Chancellor's Residence (known as the Bissell House) on the UNC Charlotte campus that was completed in the winter of 2005. Dr. Dubois is expected to oversee the process of the University becoming the fourth research-extensive university in the state.
Alumni and faculty
Every graduate of UNC Charlotte automatically becomes a member of the Alumni Association, an organization of more than 80,000 former students whose primary purpose is to advance the interests of the university. There are no membership fees, annual dues or initiation rites, but there is an expectation that members will be active participants in the organization.In addition to promoting the interests of UNC Charlotte, the Alumni Association acts as a network of UNC Charlotte graduates who assist each other in their personal, professional and social development, and recognize and cheer the accomplishments of their fellow members.
The association offers members a number of benefits and services. Some are in the form of information and communications, including a UNC Charlotte magazine and a quarterly electronic newsletter which keeps alumni up to date on news from the association and the university.
The only requirement for membership is that alumni maintain contact with the Office of Alumni Affairs, provide an up-to-date address for alumni files, and keep the association informed about their personal progress and career achievements.
See also
- Charlotte 49ersCharlotte 49ersThe Charlotte 49ers represent the NCAA Division I sports teams of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte joined the Atlantic 10 in 2005. The 49ers field 16 teams, 8 men and 8 women....
- Dale F. Halton ArenaDale F. Halton ArenaDale F. Halton Arena at the James H. Barnhardt Student Activity Center is an indoor sports venue located on the main campus of UNC Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina...
- Jeff Mullins
- University City, North Carolina