The UNC Policy Manual

Chapter 100.1 - The Code

Appendix 1

Amended 11/17/22

Amended 05/25/23

THE CODE

Appendix 1 - DELEGATIONS OF DUTY AND AUTHORITY TO BOARDS OF TRUSTEES

Pursuant to authority vested in it by the General Statutes (G.S.), and consistent with the provisions of The Code of the University of North Carolina (The Code), the Board of Governors hereby delegates to the boards of trustees of the constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina System the following duties and powers:

I. ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL

A. Appointment and Compensation

1. Upon recommendation of the chancellor, the board of trustees of a special responsibility constituent institution with management flexibility for personnel appointments shall, for all positions exempt from the North Carolina Human Resources Act except the position of the chancellor, appoint, promote, and set the compensation for such employees consistent with the policies and salary ranges set by the Board of Governors and the regulations and guidelines established by the Office of the President.

2. Personnel actions at a constituent institution, other than a special responsibility constituent institution with management flexibility, shall be governed as follows:

a. With respect to all faculty positions with permanent tenure and SAAO positions, the chancellor, following consultation with the board of trustees, shall forward to the president recommendations with respect to such appointments, promotions, and compensation; if the president concurs in such recommendations, the president shall forward them to the Board of Governors for approval. Notwithstanding the requirements of this paragraph, a board of trustees may promote in rank a faculty member with permanent tenure, upon the recommendation of the chancellor, and without approval by the Board of Governors.

b. With respect to all faculty and administrative positions other than those identified in subparagraph 2.a., above, and other than those subject to the North Carolina Human Resources Act, the chancellor shall forward the chancellor’s recommendations for appointment, promotion, and compensation to the board of trustees; subject to applicable provisions of The Code and to such policies as may be established by the Board of Governors, the action of the board of trustees with respect to such personnel actions shall be final.

B. Discharge or Suspension

Subject to regulations of the board of trustees and consistent with applicable policies of the Board of Governors, all discharges or suspensions of faculty members and administrative personnel, other than those subject to the North Carolina Human Resources Act, shall be effected by the chancellor. A discharged or suspended employee shall have such rights of appeal from the action of the chancellor, or the chancellor’s designee, as may be prescribed by The Code, policies of the Board of Governors, or regulations of the board of trustees.

C. Personnel Policies

The board of trustees may adopt personnel policies authorized by or not otherwise prescribed by state law, The Code, or policies of the Board of Governors, for personnel in all categories of university employment. Policies adopted by a board of trustees regarding academic tenure and promotion shall be effective upon review by the senior vice president for academic affairs and the vice president and general counsel and approved by the president.

D. Chancellor Selection

In the event of a vacancy in the chancellorship, the board of trustees shall establish, in consultation with the president, a search committee composed of representatives of the board of trustees, the faculty, the student body, staff, the alumni, the local community, and other campus constituencies as may be appropriate. Upon the establishment of the search committee, the chair of the board of trustees, in consultation with the president shall establish a budget and identify staff for the committee.

The search committee, through the chair of the board of trustees, shall make a preliminary report to the president when the committee is preparing a schedule of initial interviews. At the completion of the campus interview process, the search committee shall recommend an unranked slate of no fewer than two candidates to the trustees for consideration.

The board of trustees, following receipt of the report of the search committee, shall, subject to the direction of the president, recommend an unranked slate of no fewer than two candidates for consideration by the president in designating a nominee for the chancellorship for approval by the Board of Governors.

II. ACADEMIC PROGRAM

The board of trustees shall be responsible for ensuring the institution's compliance with the educational, research, and public service roles assigned to it by the Board of Governors, either by express directive or by promulgated long-range plans of the Board of Governors.

III. ACADEMIC DEGREES AND GRADING

Subject to authorization by the Board of Governors of the nature and general content of specific degree programs which may be offered by an institution, each institution shall determine whether an individual student shall be entitled to receipt of a particular degree. Each institution also shall determine what grade a student will be assigned in a particular course. No appeal from any of these decisions or any other academic determination is allowable to the president or to the Board of Governors.

IV. HONORARY DEGREES, AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS

The board of trustees shall be responsible for approving the names of all individuals on whom it is proposed that an honorary degree or other honorary or memorial distinction be conferred by the institution, subject to such policies as may be established by the Board of Governors.

V. BUDGET DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

On an annual basis, the board of trustees shall approve a comprehensive, “all-funds” budget of the constituent institution for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget shall reflect estimated General Fund, Institutional Trust Fund, and other revenues and expenditures as defined by and in a manner prescribed by the president or the president’s designee. The board of trustees’ approval of a constituent institution all-funds budget shall not be delegated and shall be made by the full board of trustees.

The board of trustees shall advise the chancellor with respect to the development, execution, and administration of the budget of the constituent institution, consistent with actions by the General Assembly and the Board of Governors.

VI. PROPERTY AND BUILDINGS

The board of trustees of a constituent institution shall be responsible, subject to policies of the Board of Governors and all legal requirements relative to the construction of state-owned buildings, for the following matters concerning campus capital construction projects which have been approved by the Board of Governors and authorized by the state of North Carolina: (1) the selection of architects or engineers for buildings and improvements requiring such professional services; (2) the approval of building sites; (3) the approval of plans and specifications; and (4) the final acceptance of all completed buildings and projects.[1]

The board of trustees shall be responsible to the Board of Governors for preparing and maintaining a master plan for the physical development of the institution, consistent with the total academic and service mission of the institution as defined and approved by the Board of Governors.

Any proposal involving the acquisition or disposition by an institution of any interest in real property shall be recommended by the board of trustees to and shall be approved by the Board of Governors; provided, that:

(a) If a proposal involves acquisition or disposition of any interest in real property other than a leasehold, the board of trustees may authorize such a transaction with a value less than $500,000, and the president may authorize such a transaction with a value less than $750,000, without obtaining approval of the Board of Governors; and

(b) If a proposal involves acquisition or disposition of a leasehold interest in real property, the board of trustees may authorize such a transaction with an annual value less than $500,000 and a term of not more than 10 years, and the president may authorize such a transaction with annual value less than $750,000 and a term of not more than 10 years, without obtaining approval of the Board of Governors;[2] and

(c) If the president or a board of trustees of a constituent institution has been delegated additional authority by the Board of Governors to do so under Section 600.1.3 of the UNC Policy Manual, the president or board of trustees of a constituent institution may authorize acquisition or disposition of an interest in real property with a value greater than that listed in paragraphs (a) and (b), above, without obtaining approval of the Board of Governors.

The Board of Governors, under circumstances which it considers appropriate and following notice from it to the board of trustees, may take action necessary to effect the acquisition or disposition of an interest in real property which is related to, or which affects the institution, without receipt of a recommendation from the board of trustees.[3]

All delegations of authority in this section are subject to any necessary authorizations and approvals from state officials and agencies.

VII. ENDOWMENTS AND TRUST FUNDS

Subject to applicable provisions of state law and to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Governors, each board of trustees shall be responsible for the preservation, maintenance, and management of all properties, both real and personal, funds and other things of value which, either separately or in combination, constitute all or any part of the authorized endowment or trust funds, either currently in existence or to be established in the future, for the benefit of the individual constituent institution. [See G.S. 116-11(2); 116-12; 116-36; 116-36.1; 116-36.2]

VIII. ADMISSIONS

Subject to such enrollment levels and minimum general criteria for admission as may be established for a constituent institution by the Board of Governors, each constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System shall establish admissions policies and resolve individual admission questions for all schools and divisions within the institution. No appeal concerning an individual admission case shall lie beyond the institutional board of trustees. An appeal to the institutional board of trustees is not required.

IX. TUITION, FEES, AND DEPOSITS

A. General Authority of Boards of Trustees

The boards of trustees of the constituent institutions other than the board of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics shall cause to be collected from each student, at the beginning of each semester, quarter, or term, such tuition, fees, and other amounts necessary to pay other expenses for the term, as have been approved by the Board of Governors. [See G.S. 116-11(7) and G.S. 116-143]

B. Tuition and Fee Deposits

Each board of trustees shall require the payment of such advance deposits, at such times and under such conditions as it determines are appropriate or as may be required by state law or by the Board of Governors. [See G.S. 116-143]

C. Application Fee

Each board of trustees shall require the payment of such nonrefundable application fees, in connection with each application for admission, as may be required by state law or by the Board of Governors. [See G.S. 116-143]

D. Acceptance of Obligations in Lieu of Cash

Subject to policies prescribed by the Board of Governors, the boards of trustees shall establish regulations concerning the acceptance of obligations of students, together with such collateral or security as may be deemed necessary or proper, in lieu of cash, in payment of tuition and fees. [See G.S. 116-143]

E. Fee Recommendations

Subject to policies prescribed by the Board of Governors, each board of trustees, in consultation with the chancellor, shall recommend to the president the amounts to be charged at the constituent institution for application, athletics, health services, student activities, educational and technology, retirement of debt incurred for capital improvements projects authorized by the General Assembly, course, and special fees. In carrying out this responsibility, each board of trustees and the chancellor shall ascertain that the benefits of the activity or service are commensurate with the recommended fee which is required to support the activity or service. Recommended fees should be consistent with the philosophy set forth in the North Carolina Constitution which states that the benefits of the University of North Carolina System should be extended to the people of the state free of expense, as far as practicable.

X. STUDENT FINANCIAL AID

All scholarships and other forms of financial aid to students which are limited in their application to or are supported from sources generated by an individual campus shall be administered by the constituent institution pursuant to such regulations as may be prescribed by the board of trustees and subject to the terms of any applicable laws and to policies of the Board of Governors.

XI. STUDENT SERVICES

Each board of trustees, upon recommendation of the chancellor, shall determine the type, level, and extent of student services (such as health care, athletic programs, and counseling) to be maintained for the benefit of students at the institution, subject to general provisions concerning types and levels of student services as may be prescribed by the Board of Governors.

XII. STUDENT ACTIVITIES AND GOVERNMENT

Under such policies as may be prescribed by the Board of Governors and the board of trustees, the chancellor shall be responsible for the regulation and approval of organized, institutionally recognized student activities, the definition of roles and functions of any institutionally recognized system of student self-government and student participation in the governance of any aspect of the institutional programs and services. No appeal concerning such activities are allowable to the president or to the Board of Governors.

XIII. INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS

Subject to such policies as may be prescribed by the Board of Governors and the board of trustees, the chancellor shall be responsible for the establishment and supervision of the institution's program of intercollegiate athletics.

XIV. TRAFFIC AND PARKING REGULATIONS[4]

XV. CAMPUS SECURITY

Subject to applicable provisions of state law and such policies as may be adopted by the Board of Governors or the board of trustees, the chancellor shall be responsible for the maintenance of campus security.

XVI. AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES, UTILITIES, AND MISCELLANEOUS FACILITIES

Pursuant to applicable provisions of state law and policies of the Board of Governors, the boards of trustees of affected constituent institutions shall have authority and responsibility for the adoption of policies applicable to and the control and supervision of campus electric power plants and water and sewer systems, other utilities and facilities [G.S. 116-35], and child development centers [G.S. 116-38].