UNC system campuses in Western North Carolina rebound with spring enrollment gains

Press release from The University of North Carolina System:

Months after Hurricane Helene disrupted the academic year for thousands of students and their families, spring enrollment is up at the UNC System’s three mountain universities.

Compared to spring of 2024, enrollment this semester increased 2.2% at Appalachian State University, 1.9% at University of North Carolina Asheville and 1.7% at Western Carolina University. Compared to spring of 2023, current enrollment is higher by 6.8% at App State, 4.7% at UNC Asheville and 3.3% at Western Carolina. The three universities enroll more than 34,000 students.

UNC System President Peter Hans credited the all-hands effort of university faculty and staff, along with heightened state support, for helping students return to campus and continue working toward graduation. Emergency funding from the North Carolina General Assembly allowed the universities to fix damaged infrastructure, boost financial aid, and cover spring tuition for all students at UNC Asheville.

“That public support makes a real difference in the lives of those students and the recovery of the mountains,” Hans said. “It speaks volumes about the strength of our universities and the people of Western North Carolina that Hurricane Helene has not stopped our students from pursuing their dreams.

The universities suspended operations in the aftermath of the September storm, which killed more than 100 people in the state and caused catastrophic flooding to buildings and infrastructure across the region. Hard-hit UNC Asheville had to move instruction online for the remainder of the fall semester because the city’s water system was nonfunctioning. All three campuses are fully operational now, with classes and activities underway and repairs continuing or complete.

Emergency grants helped offset hurricane-related expenses for students, some of whom evacuated or lost belongings in the disaster. Students from hurricane-impacted counties but attending other state universities were also eligible for financial aid.

“Thanks to the incredible work of our faculty and staff, backed by the incredible generosity of our lawmakers in Raleigh, we’ve been able to keep our students on track for the opportunities they’ve earned,” Hans said.

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