The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will increase financial aid and outreach to applicants in lower-income communities after the US Supreme Court last week effectively barred colleges from using race as a factor in admissions.
As part of the program, UNC will provide free tuition and fees for state residents whose families earn under $80,000 annually beginning in 2024, Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said in a statement Friday.
“Our responsibility to comply with the law does not mean we will abandon our fundamental values as a university,” Guskiewicz said. “I know our community creates strength from all our differences. We can’t lose different perspectives and experiences in the classroom that give depth to our discussions and make our work impactful.”
The public university will also hire more admission officers to recruit students and increase awareness of the new program, which begins next year. The cost of college includes room and board and other expenses.
In the landmark ruling, the conservative majority on the high court said programs at UNC and Harvard University violated the equal protection clause of the US constitution. While the court said race can’t be used in admission decisions, colleges can still use income or wealth factors as a way to consider diversity.
Harvard offers free education for families with annual incomes below $85,000, and the school increased the threshold this year. Duke University also announced last month it would provide full tuition for undergraduates from North Carolina and South Carolina whose family incomes are $150,000 or less.
--With assistance from Amanda Albright.
