ABSTRACT
Of the southern states, North Carolina has been a relatively consistent example of progressive change in higher education. From the development of the Research Triangle in the 1960s through the response to federal mandates to desegregation in 1978 and the state’s investment in need-based student fi nancial aid in the early 21st century, North Carolina has provided a model for the new South. This case describes some of the critical developments in the North Carolina system of higher education, the trends, policies and outcomes, and recent policy developments, before raising questions for readers.
