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Overall Score: .69

Campus History:

Chartered in 1909 and opened to the public in 1910, North Carolina Central University (NCCU) began its history as the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua. From its inception, the university has been founded on the commitment to “the development in young men and women of the character and sound academic training requisite for real service to the nation.” Dr. James E. Shepherd, in his role as founder as well as President of the institution until 1947, dedicated his life to helping NCCU achieve this goal.

However, in spite of the dedication and enthusiasm of a dedicated corps of students, faculty, and administrators, the university suffered financial difficulties in its first decade. However, in 1923 the General Assembly (GA) of North Carolina appropriated funds for the purchase and maintenance of the school. And in 1925, the GA voted to redefine the identity of the University. It thus became the North Carolina College for Negroes (NCC) with a mission dedicated to the preparation of teachers and principals for secondary schools. It was in this year that the institution became the first state-supported college for African-American students in the nation. In subsequent years and decades, NCC continued its expansion, earning accreditation as an “A” class institution in 1937 and adding a graduate program two years later.

In 1969, the school was renamed North Carolina Central University, and in 1972 joined the consolidated University of North Carolina, bringing the University under the administration of the Board of Governors which now oversaw a multi-campus system.

NCCU’s identity as a historically black college still influences the campus today, but a commitment to equal opportunity continues to transform the university. In fall 2004, 86% of students self-identified as being African-American, 9% as being white, and 5% as other minorities. NCCU is clear, though, that it “vigorously recruits and strives to enroll a larger number of white and other minority students.”

Students, Faculty, and Administration:

North Carolina Central University (NCCU) is one of the smaller campuses in the UNC system, ranking tenth in both undergraduate population and graduate/first professional population. In the Fall 2004 semester, there were 7,727 students total, 6,028 undergraduates and 1,699 graduate/first professional students. With regard to undergraduates, 78% are full-time students, female students outnumber male students 2 to 1, and 86% of the population self-identifies as being African-American. Geographically speaking, 45% of undergraduates are from Durham County and adjacent counties; 45% are from other North Carolina counties; 10% are out-of-state students. In the 2003-2004 school year, 86% of freshmen were receiving some need-based aid, while 62% were receiving Pell Grants. Finally, of the 856 entering freshman in Fall 2004, 47 (5.5%) graduated in the top 10% of their class, 58 (6.8%) graduated in the next 10%, 314 (36.7%) graduated in the next 30%, and the final 437 (51.1%) finished high school in the bottom half of their class.

The faculty at NCCU represents some of the state’s and nation’s leading minds in classroom instruction and professional research. The faculty comes from all regions of the nation as well as several foreign countries, providing a diverse range of academic talent and professional experience. Of the 240 full time faculty members, 185 hold the highest degree available in their field of expertise. This number comprises over 77% of the NCCU faculty. While the faculty’s primary role is that of instruction, research is a main focus of their position. These talented men and women are competitive in their fields in bringing in grants and prestige to the institution. In addition, the Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI) and the soon-to-open Biomanufacturing Research Institute & Training Enterprise (BRITE) provide state of the art research facilities for faculty and students with ten of thousands of square footage of research space. The BBRI, in particular, is renowned for its investigations into the human diseases which disproportionately affect under-represented minority groups.

The NCCU Administration, under the direction of Chancellor James H. Ammons, oversees all aspects of the campus. They are dedicated, involved, and perceptive to the needs of the students and the institution. Notably, they have kept total student expenses (inclusive of tuition, fees, room, board, books, and other expenses) among the lowest in the 16 campus system. For both in-state and out-of-state students, NCCU is the fifth least expensive UNC school. In addition, the administration is currently overseeing a $121 million dollar construction program that includes the addition of the BRITE facility, a new residence hall, new graduate student apartments, and significant campus renovation.

Location, Weather and Topography:

The city of Durham, along with Raleigh and Chapel Hill, combines to form the world-renowned Research Triangle Park, the largest research area in the United States which boasts a higher concentration of PhD’s than any other region in the world. It is a hub of institutional, governmental, and industrial research, leading the nation in computer technology innovation and biotechnology exploration. Durham itself is home to over 200,000 people and offers more than a dozen historical sites, three art centers, and some of North Carolina’s greatest chefs and restaurants. In addition, the city celebrates a number of events throughout the year including a Civil War reenactment, a documentary film festival, a modern dance festival, and a Native American Powwow.

Durham is found in Piedmont, the central region of North Carolina. NCCU’s campus reflects the topography of the region: the school is largely flat with a few rolling hills. In addition, the central location of Durham provides driving access to both the coastal region in the east and to the mountains in the west.

The weather is Durham is pleasant, with mild seasons that offer crisp autumn mornings, light snow in the winter, and warm springs and summers. During the fall months, you can expect temperatures to drop from maximum temperatures in the low 80’s in August to the low 50’s by December, averaging about a ten-degree drop every month. Minimum temperatures range from the low 60’s in September to the low 30’s in December. The weather tends to turn cold most heavily in November. Winter months offer consistent maximum temperatures in the low 50’s and minimum temperatures in the low 30’s and high 20’s. On average, Durham enjoys just over five inches of snow per year. When March comes around the maximum temperatures return to the 60’s and reach the mid 80’s by June. Minimum temperatures increase from the mid-30’s in March to the low-60’s by June. Summer brings temperatures that range from the high 80’s during the day to the low 60’s at night. In addition, rainfall rarely exceeds a few inches every month. So while Durham offers a full range of seasons, with leaves changing colors in the fall, light snow in the winter, and pleasant warmer months, the year is on the whole quite temperate and undoubtedly agreeable.

Disability Services:

Services to students with disabilities are administered by the Office of Student Support Services (SSS), an autonomous department that falls under the umbrella of Student Affairs. SSS is comprised of one man, Dr. James Fuller, who works with all departments throughout the university to ensure reasonable accommodation for every student with a documented disability. He reports to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, but is in regular contact with the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs. Dr. Fuller and SSS can be found in Suite G20 of the Student Services Building. He can also be reached at (919) 530-6325, (919) 530-7958 (fax), and jbfuller@nccu.edu.