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UNC-Rocky Mount


DCMetroRaleigh

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Civic leaders in Rocky Mount see a golden future in the sleepy campus of N.C. Wesleyan College.

They envision it as UNC-Rocky Mount.

For months, several business and civic leaders have lobbied legislators and UNC leaders to turn the Methodist-affiliated, private, liberal-arts college into the 17th university of the UNC system.

Their political persuasion worked, to a point. Legislation passed this summer orders the UNC system to study the possibility.

http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/471409.html

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Funny how history repeats itself. Wesleyan really struggled in the mid to late 70's after the Vietnam War ended and there was less demand for a college education as a way to avoid the draft.

Due to financials, the college almost closed and Rocky Mount civic leaders pushed the state to consider adding it to the UNC System. That effort failed as the state was struggling financially as well.

Wesleyan survived via fund raising and by taking the school to adults (day students) and establishing satellite campuses.

All the other UNC Campuses are at least 1 to 2 hours away. The College has the land for expansion and a convenient location. Nash, Edgecombe and Wilson Counties would greatly benefit if this college were converted to the UNC System. It would provide an affordable and local alternative to area students. Even students north (Roanoke Rapids) have no close alternative to public higher education.

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This university is already strapped for cash in the current system. Like I have said before if you want to add schools make UNC a tiered system. UNC and NCSU would be in their own category as major research universities, free to raise money as they see fit, and have theor own board of governance. The other schools could be governed similar to the current system and have money available that currently goes to UNC and NCSU.

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Well, if they do get incorporated, they should keep the Wesleyan name. I'm tired of seeing so many UNCx's.

I agree. Enough of the Cali love. Not every university needs to be in or named UNC something. You know how California has all of the Cal-this or Cal state-that....come on

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Even though some could argue that it's too close to UNCC, I always though UNCK (Kannapolis) should work - where Pillowtex was and where the research campus is going now.

Even with the strong ties to NCSU, UNC, CRI, and Charlotte, I still think the research campus will keep itself (as well as its name) away from the UNC college style. And not trying to be boosterish, but I don't think the proximity of another college will hinder UNCCharlotte at all. In fact, having another well known college in Charlotte would only benefit Queens and UNCC as it would give the city a more college life appeal that we now lack. Even with Davidson, CPCC, and J&W, I still don't get the 'big college town' feel like I do in cities such as Pittsburgh where there are higher student to population ratios within the metro.

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The UNCK mention reminds me of ASU's plans a while back to establish a satellite campus in Hickory. They were never able to get it established as ASU - Hickory Campus so they went in with Lenoir Rhyne and Catawba Valley Community College in building the Hickory Metro Higher Ed Center. It probably worked out better for the Hickory area now that there are a number of schools (WCU, UNCC, etc.) that participate as opposed to just ASU.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I had not seen this thread, so I'm a little late in posting, but this UNC Rocky Mount idea is at best, terrible. The UNC system has enough schools and needs to start concentrating on building the schools it has and perhaps closing the lowest performing institutions (the schools that take the most money and give the lowest return).

Throwing money into a crumbling town isn't the best idea when we have two cities (Cary-Raleigh and Charlotte) that are rising on the national stage!

Plus they already have East Carolina right down the road.

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I had not seen this thread, so I'm a little late in posting, but this UNC Rocky Mount idea is at best, terrible. The UNC system has enough schools and needs to start concentrating on building the schools it has and perhaps closing the lowest performing institutions (the schools that take the most money and give the lowest return).

Throwing money into a crumbling town isn't the best idea when we have two cities (Cary-Raleigh and Charlotte) that are rising on the national stage!

Plus they already have East Carolina right down the road.

Wow didn't Rocky Mount was crumbling...

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While Rocky Mount is no utopia, I wouldn't say it's crumbling either. There is a fair amount of commercial and residential development going on in the area. Anyway, I went to Wesleyan's campus last night for a concert, and thought the campus was pretty nice. I'm still not sure if there should be a UNC-RM, but it would be a nice campus to convert over.

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Throwing money into a crumbling town isn't the best idea when we have two cities (Cary-Raleigh and Charlotte) that are rising on the national stage!

Plus they already have East Carolina right down the road.

Crumbling in what ways? The western extents of Rocky Mt near I-95 and US 64 are growing like crazy, in thanks of lower taxes and lower cost of living in comparison to the Triangle. Rocky Mt itself is not a bad town and show signs of a promising future.

The state is growing pretty much in every county and you need to provide as many schools to ease the burden of the existening schools because more than ever before, you need at least a batchelors degree to live a good life. Sure there are 16 UNC schools statewide but it could not hurt to add another one and Rocky Mt is the right place for one. Spreading out the statewide school system is better to give state residents proximity to the schools than clustering them up in the metro areas only.

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The state is growing pretty much in every county and you need to provide as many schools to ease the burden of the existening schools because more than ever before, you need at least a batchelors degree to live a good life.

You make it sound like the UNC system should be handing out degrees just so people can "live a better life". I think we have completely forgot what the university is all about. Its not a vocational school but a place to become more versed and well-rounded in a variety of fields. I hate the attitude that people are told to go to college so they make more money. Basically it is now the job of the university system to become high school because the public school system is such a disgrace. Next we will be handing out PhDs and MDs to everyone so they can feel special and live better lives.

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You make it sound like the UNC system should be handing out degrees just so people can "live a better life". I think we have completely forgot what the university is all about. Its not a vocational school but a place to become more versed and well-rounded in a variety of fields. I hate the attitude that people are told to go to college so they make more money. Basically it is now the job of the university system to become high school because the public school system is such a disgrace. Next we will be handing out PhDs and MDs to everyone so they can feel special and live better lives.

To survive in America, in most cases, you must have college and get yourself acquainted with internships in order to live a good life. Now there are people who start businesses, work in construction (w/ labor unions), gamble in Atlantic City for a living without college that do fine also. Then they are people who do not want to do anything, want to live simple lives by just finishing high school and go right to work. At first, its ok because their parents help them in the beginning but soon after, they are just trying to make ends meet, sometimes they are the working poor. Ive worked in enough jobs where nearly everyone i spoken to, regrets where they are now. Im aware, up until the 70s and early 80s, college was not necessary but these are people in the 40s and 30s telling me this.

I do understand and do agree the attitude being told to people is to go to college JUST SO they can make money but unfortunately, this is the way out of living a uncomfortable life, not owning nice things and being someones beotch in the food service or retail industry for the rest of your life. I am a college student full time and working 20 hours a week, it teaches me a lot about how important it is to get out of what im doing currently because if i quit school or get that attitude " oh, F college, whats important about it ", well, ill just end up where i am now! America is not promising for low end paying jobs with not keeping up with cost of living flauctations.

Now, should people be given degrees? Absolutely not! But if people are willing to work for it and put up with tbe bull&*it that they must go through, everyone deserves to get a degree! I dont mean to make this a long response. My response before, was to provide a university closer to central, northeast and eastern North Carolina residents that only have the choice of going to East Carolina and Elizabeth City State University. I do not see how a UNC-R would be a bad idea because it would ease the burden of the overcrowding that is taking place at some UNC schools. I didnt mean to get you all started in a whole other topic! :)

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It's not like you're creating a new school, just changing the name and the source the funding comes from. If it were to ever join the UNC system, they should avoid the cookie cutter and keep the Wesleyan name.

My response before, was to provide a university closer to central, northeast and eastern North Carolina residents that only have the choice of going to East Carolina and Elizabeth City State University. I do not see how a UNC-R would be a bad idea because it would ease the burden of the overcrowding that is taking place at some UNC schools.

I can't understand how Wesleyan changing its name and funding alters its location. It's already there. And no, people do not only have the choice of going to schools in their direct area. There are things called student loans, grants, scholarships, meal plans, and dorms. Nobody is forced to go to school in a certain area. My high school graduating class dispersed into nearly every state in this country for college. The beauty of college is the freedom of being able to move away from home and not be 100% reliant on mommy and daddy. For those fortunate enough to have their parents pay for college, unlike myself, they should still attempt to move out of their house, be it on campus or in an apt nearby. It's part of the experience.

As for overcrowding, where did that come from? Universities limit their admissions. It's not like public grade schools where everybody gets into their local school (which doesn't always happen either.) If a college has an "overcrowding problem" it's their own fault. They know their capacities and they should have the knowledge to count the number of applicants they admit. I have a hard time believing that any college in the state is overcrowded, on any level. Even community colleges can say no.

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They aren't overcrowded, the reason for growth is so they can accomodate more students, not because they don't already have enough room for what they've got. They're building to make room for future growth. Ideally, tuition goes up at almost the same rate as inflation plus the added costs that come with time such as faculty raises. This is a norm except in the situation that the school is undergroing major expansions. In that case, larger schools need more money to run. Per student costs go up with a larger campus. These are normal things at any successful university.

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