AN ACT to direct the board of governors to contract for an independent evaluation of the degree programs at each CONSTITUENT institution of the university of north carolina and to appropriate funds for the evaluation.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  From the funds appropriated in Section 2 of this act, the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall contract with an independent research organization to conduct an evaluation of its current programs at each constituent institution of The University of North Carolina related to its operational costs, student outcomes, and return on investment (ROI) of each program. The evaluation conducted by the independent research organization shall include an analysis of at least the following information by constituent institution and undergraduate and graduate degree programs for the 2021‑2022 fiscal year:

(1)        The number of students in each program.

(2)        The number of faculty and other staff employed for each program.

(3)        The related costs to operate each program, inclusive of total staff compensation and benefits, facility costs, and any other related expenses, including overhead.

(4)        A detailed correlation between degree of study and directly related career roles and associated expected starting compensation, as well as expected career earnings for students upon completion of those programs.

(5)        A detailed ROI for each program.

(6)        ROI for State funding expenditures.

(7)        ROI for student funding expenditures.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of the North Carolina the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) to be used for the Board of Governors to contract with an independent research organization for the evaluation required by Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 3.  By April 1, 2022, the Board of Governors shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division of the General Assembly on the results of the evaluation conducted by the independent research organization required by Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2021.