A fund for fast-growing colleges could be cut.

Since the late 1990s, the University of North Carolina system has built up a reserve fund for state universities that were growing at a rapid rate.

That included the five historically black colleges, Elizabeth City State University, N.C. A&T, N.C. Central, Fayetteville State and Winston-Salem State. Two others, UNC-Pembroke and Western Carolina, were also helped. 

"All had the capacity to grow at a rate greater then they would naturally," said UNC spokesman Rob Nelson. "The money was appropriated to accommodate the administrative costs of that — to help with infrastructure, administration and financial aid."

In all, Nelson said the fund had provided $30 million for the seven schools.

Gov. Beverly Perdue proposed cutting the annual $1.3 million appropriation in order to help balance next year's budget. 

The UNC system could raise minimum standards to a 2.0 GPA and a 700 SAT score by 2009.

The requirements were debated by the UNC Board of Governors Thursday.

The new standards would affect Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State, N.C. A&T, N.C. Central, Winston-Salem State and UNC-Pembroke, all of which were founded to serve minority students.

The proposal is part of a broader effort to prevent dropouts by only admitting students who are prepared for a four-year college.

"Higher admission standards, we think, are a plus for the university and a plus for the kids," said UNC President Erskine Bowles. (N&O)

The UNC Board of Governors held a conference call today to approve the terms of the resignation of T.J. Bryan, who will leave her position as chancellor of Fayetteville State University effective July 23.

Bryan will keep a tenured faculty position at FSU and will receive her chancellor's salary of $215,000 on a paid leave through Dec. 31, reports Jane Stancill.

On Jan. 1, she will assume her faculty position at 60 percent of her current salary. Then, in fall of 2008, Bryan can resume a nine-month faculty position at normal pay for a professor in the English and Foreign Language Department.

Under the terms, Bryan will relinquish her state car on July 23 and move out of the chancellor's residence by Aug. 15.

Vic Hackley, who led N.C. A&T State University for the past year, was named today as interim chancellor at Fayetteville State University.

His appointment, effective July 23, was announced by UNC President Erskine Bowles, reports Jane Stancill.

Hackley, a former FSU chancellor, UNC system vice president and N.C. Community College System president, will serve until a permanent chancellor is chosen. He succeeds T.J. Bryan, who announced this week that she would resign amid a number of problems at the campus.

Hackley has gained a reputation as a turnaround artist. He is credited with uncovering serious financial abuse and mismanagement at N.C. A&T and helping clean up the problems. A team of UNC officials and auditors was sent to the campus at Hackley's request.