UNC Board of Governors holds two days of meetings at NCSSM

The UNC Board of Governors approved a change last week that will shift how residency is determined for students at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, aligning the Morganton campus with the broader UNC system.

This decision, and a trustee appointment, was made during a two-day Board of Governors meeting, held on the NCSSM-Morganton campus this week. This is the first time the board has met on an NCSSM campus since the school’s founding in Durham in 1980.

The change in the residency policy was to streamline the process. UNC System Director of Media Relations Andy Wallace explained in a later interview that “NCSSM currently uses its own process to determine whether a student qualifies as a North Carolina resident,” convoluting the process when red flags pop up in applications.

During a committee meeting Wednesday, a system official said it would be simpler to have system administrators determine residency eligibility based on the system’s criteria, rather than hire additional administrators to assess eligibility according to an NCSSM-specific policy.

“It’s really about consistency, simplicity, and efficiency — using one standard process instead of maintaining a separate system,” Wallace said.

BOARD APPOINTEE

The board also appointed Norma Houston to the NCSSM Board of Trustees.

According to the board’s meeting materials, Houston served as chief of staff to UNC System President Peter Hans from August 2020 until February 2025. Her appointment became effective April 16 and will end on June 30, 2027.

Prior to and during her time in the UNC System Office, Houston lectured at the UNC School of Government, covering everything from emergency management to ethics and conflicts of interest.

In 2025, Gov. Josh Stein awarded Houston with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, a recognition that emphasizes an individual’s contribution to the state of North Carolina.

Her appointment brings a familiar face to the NCSSM board, which meets four times a year, at least once in Morganton, and “provides guidance and oversight for the school,” according to the NCSSM website.

IN-PERSON EXPERIENCE

“It is good to be back on campus,” Board Chair Wendy Murphy said during the meeting. “It reminds us of why we are doing what we are doing.”

“The School of Science and Math serves as an example of how to educate young people, before they reach college, preparing them for lifelong success,” Murphy continued.

Murphy explained that about 75% of NCSSM students go on to attend a UNC school, and many of those receive fully covered tuition.

“That is a win for our economy, and our society, and it should be celebrated,” she said.

Wallace took a moment to express his impression of NCSSM’s cross-educational programs, reflecting on the board’s visit to the pottery class.

The process of students developing the glaze in a science class, before applying it to the pottery after sculpting in art, “just stuck in my mind,” Wallace said.

“It is moments like that, where you can really get in there — we have on paper what every campus does, but this is the opportunity to really experience it,” he continued.

For others in system leadership, the school serves as a beacon of success for the system.

“This university has never been complacent in the face of change, and we’re not resting on our successes now,” Hans said during the board meeting. “There’s a great deal of good work ahead of us, and the science and math spirit of innovation here should be a guiding light as we tackle it.”