GREENSBORO, N.C. — North Carolina A&T State University is being penalized and fined.
In the last two years, the university enrolled too many out-of-state freshmen students.
N.C. A&T has to forfeit nearly $2 million of its current budget. The UNC System voted and made a decision Thursday.
The UNC System Board of Governors revised the residency policy years ago to increase the enrollment cap.
N.C. A&T has an enrollment cap of 35 percent. Other schools like Winston-Salem State University has a cap of 25 percent and UNCG 18 percent.
The University of North Carolina System said N.C. A&T has exceeded the limits established for them.
In 2021, the UNC System said N.C. A&T had 41 percent of students, enrolled from out-of-state.
UNC System Board of Governors member, James Holmes said the decision to penalize the university was administrative and that it’s the policy that currently exists.
Holmes said an agenda item would be put on an upcoming meeting to discuss changes to enrollment caps, so situations like this don’t happen anymore.
For right now, Holmes said, “We have a rule that is in place.”
Board of Governors member, Joel Ford, doesn't agree with the fine.
"Fundamentally speaking, we have campuses and in time, environments that are struggling with enrollment, and here we have one of our HMSI's (Historically Minority-Serving Institution) that is experiencing historical seasonal growth. Fundamentally, I cannot support a policy that’s going to take $2 million away from a university when in reality they can use every dime they can get to continue that mission,“ Ford explained.
The UNC System recommends that the $2 million be reallocated to the board's UNC Need-Based Grant Financial Program.
N.C. A&T spokesperson, Todd Simmons said in a statement:
The University has expressed regret over exceeding the cap. We have put oversight enhancements in place to prevent this from happening again.
NCA&T alum and former professor, Loury Floyd says when she worked at the university, she dealt with students from all over the country.
"It’s really diverse. I think it is really rich when I was employed there as a faculty member and administrator I had an opportunity to work with students from California, we have this great international population, there are alumni literally worldwide and many of our alumni are really excited about the growth at North Carolina A&T," Floyd said.
She says that diversity is one of the things that makes NCA&T special.
"We all recognize that it is a policy. At the same time it's the largest HBCU and how do we capitalize on the buzz surrounding them," Floyd said.