Strong leadership of education system has never been more vital - Asheville Citzen-Times

With the state facing a budget shortfall of $2 billion, UNC system officials are looking at budget cuts of up to 7 percent. There’s talk of eliminating 660 faculty positions and a total of about 1,700 jobs, cutting course offerings and increasing class sizes. It’s also going to be more expensive for Tar Heel students to attend system schools.... In the end, the challenge before the state’s university system is how to continue to be a bargain for the next generation of North Carolinians (and their parents) without offering an inferior product. The challenge facing the state’s community college system may well be even more difficult.