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ACCESS Summary

Overall Score: .74

Campus History:

The first college-level education became available to Wilmington in 1946, offering freshman-level courses to approximately 250 students. Only one year later, Wilmington College came into existence under the New Hanover County Board of Education as the result of a tax levy, and from 1948 to 1952, gained accreditations and joined the American Association of Junior Colleges.

The school became a part of the state system of higher education in 1958 when it was placed under the Community College Act of the State of North Carolina, and control shifted from the New Hanover County Board of Education to a board of twelve trustees. Wilmington College became a senior college encompassing a four-year curriculum on July 1, 1963, and became certified to present the bachelor’s degree.

The institution adjusted its name in 1969 to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington after the approval of UNC’s Board of Trustees and the North Carolina Board of Higher Education, and was the sixth campus to be included in the University of North Carolina system. In August of 1977, the university began to offer a master’s graduate program, and the spring of 1985, the school gained the title of a Comprehensive Level I University.

Students, Faculty, and Administration:

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington enrolls 11,653 students, with an estimated 1,072 of those studying in the graduate school. Six percent of the population classifies themselves as minorities, and the ratio of men to women is 2:3. The number of full-time faculty that the university employs is 464, with 84 percent holding a Ph.D. or terminal degree in their field.

The school also consists of 326 part-time faculty, 209 EPA and 781 staff members. In terms of organization, the school is made of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Cameron School of Business, the School of Nursing, the Watson School of Education and the Graduate School. Wilmington offers 73 bachelor’s degrees, 27 master’s degrees, and a doctoral degree in marine biology that is only one of three available on the East Coast. The school has a $33.54 million endowment and operates on a budget of $160 million.

Location, Topography, and Weather:

The University of North Carolina Wilmington is located in the coastal city of Wilmington, North Carolina. Only four miles from the Cape Fear River and five miles west of Wrightsville Beach, UNCW provides an ideal setting for students to receive an education. “Moss-laden oaks, towering pines, and stately brick buildings make up the arboretum campus on Highway 132 (College Road)” according to the university website. The city is characterized by its warm summers, mild winters, and abundant sunshine, and is a popular destination for visitors because of these attributes.

Disability Services:

UNC Wilmington's disabilities services consist of a small staff committed to providing adequate resources to students on campus. The office ensures that the university as a whole upholds the standards of Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and its amendments as well as the American Disabilities Act of 1990. Disability services also acts as a full-time advocate and support network for the university community by providing resources such as screen-readers, accessible housing, closed caption televisions, and other assistive devices. A unique opportunity that this university provides is entitled Strategy Enhancement for Achievement and enables students to meet individually with an experienced Learning Specialist to discuss improving overall academic achievement. In addition, personnel are available to discuss issues relating to disability, accommodations, setting and planning goals, and obtaining balance in life. Students should contact the disabilities services office to initiate communication and receive the necessary adjustments to maximize their college experience.