NC S853

The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall conduct a feasibility study on offering accelerated undergraduate degree programs at constituent institutions that align with access and affordability goals.

Study must examine online education for general education requirements, expanded summer terms, pilot program models (three-year degrees, combined bachelor's/master's degrees, competency-based programs), and changes needed to financial aid and funding formulas.

Study must evaluate student cost savings, curriculum design shifts toward specialized skills, student support mechanisms, credit transfer policies, and student demand for accelerated degree programs.

The Board of Governors shall report findings and recommendations to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by March 1, 2021.

Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in nonrecurring funds are appropriated from the General Fund for the 2020-2021 fiscal year to conduct the study, with the Board allowed to contract with an independent research organization.