CHAPEL HILL (July 2, 2026) – As we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of our country, UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee Roberts sees connections with the founding of the University of North Carolina. 

Because democracy depends on an educated citizenry.

Roberts notes in the accompanying video that the N.C. General Assembly ratified the U.S. Constitution on November 21, 1789. And on December 11, 1789 – about three weeks later – the legislature chartered the University of North Carolina.

“I think those dates are relevant because the General Assembly thought, our founders believed, that ratifying the Constitution and creating this university were related. They were part of the same exercise. And that for our state to fulfill its destiny, to fulfill its potential, we needed a university that would create citizens as well as scholars.

“And I believe that’s what this university has done for the last 232 years. I believe it’s been the most important pillar on which we build a future for North Carolina’s families,” he says.

Roberts suggests the university’s past sets expectations for its future.

“Our responsibility is to make sure that that’s true for the next 232 years and beyond,” he says. “And everything we’re doing – whether it’s AI or adding engineering or growing enrollment, building out Carolina North – is in that context.

“How do we make sure that we are continuing to fulfill our mission of service to the people of this remarkable state and make sure that our best days still lie ahead?” he asks.