Board of Governors, Ross Support Thorp

The UNC Board of Governors voted today to change the way new tuition revenue can be allocated to need-based financial aid. The new rules allow individual campuses to determine what percentage of tuition revenue can be used to help low-income students. The old policy said 25 % of new tuition revenue had to be set aside for financial aid. The Board also fielded a lot of questions on the future of UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Holden Thorp. Thorp has dealt with scandals involving football, the department of Afro and African-American studies, and the school's top fundraiser. UNC System President Tom Ross praised Thorp's quick, decisive action in both of the latter incidents.

"From all the information we have at this point and there are continuing investigations, there was one professor and one departmental assistant that did something wrong, and now we have one vice chancellor and one fundraiser that did something wrong and those people are no longer with the university," says Tom Ross.

Board of Governors Chair Peter Hans also spoke to the level of the Board's support for Thorp. He said, "The Chancellor is performing well by many measurements. I think every chancellor is to be evaluated as we go along. He clearly has some issues on campus he need to successfully deal with."

Thorp's two-year review will come before the Board of Governors next year.