Chancellor Gaber’s 2024-25 Welcome Message to Faculty and Staff

Dear Colleagues, 

Happy first day of classes! It’s so good to see our students back on campus. There’s a buzz in the air.

Today, we are welcoming another record class of first-time college students, at over 4,600. Our new students are from 87 North Carolina counties, 45 states and 16 countries around the world. We’re also welcoming our largest group of transfer students since 2021, at over 2,500.

As I enter my fifth year here as Chancellor, I am excited to say that what is happening here – a rise in rankings, growing research enterprise, growing enrollments and a record pace for student success –  isn’t happening cumulatively anywhere else in the country. 

Over the past decade, we’ve grown our research expenditures an incredible 272%. A significant milestone this year is our ascent toward Carnegie R1 status. According to projections from the Chronicle of Higher Education, Charlotte will earn the nation’s top research classification early next year. This will create even more industry partnerships to grow our research and will provide even more opportunities for our students to work with faculty on research and innovation.   

While we are growing our research enterprise, we also remain focused on the success of all students. This fall, we are taking a big step by adding 20 professional academic advisors across campus. These advisors will work closely with students on what they need to stay on track. Our faculty will continue as mentors and career advisors, but the academic advisors will monitor student progress.

You can read more about these and other exciting items for the upcoming year in this edition of Niner Insider. 

Another important initiative is safety on campus. With this in mind, starting today, we are launching annual mandatory active assailant training for all students, faculty and staff. This will be a first for a UNC System institution. The training is provided through an online portal and only takes a few minutes to complete. Look for a message with the subject line “Active Assailant Response Training Has Been Assigned,” and complete this important training as soon as possible.

An additional component of a safe and welcoming community involves the free expression of diverse ideas and perspectives. As a public university, UNC Charlotte must uphold and protect the principle of free speech. We may not agree with all viewpoints being expressed, but by balancing the freedom to speak with the responsibility to listen and consider the impact of words on others, we create a supportive community where all voices are heard and valued. And ultimately, this fosters a richer, more dynamic educational experience for everyone. As a public university, individuals are able to voice their viewpoints, as long as they comply with campus policies.

Our students depend on us to provide them with the education and support they need to succeed. Our city and our state rely on us to drive innovation, economic growth and social progress. And our neighbors look to us as a beacon of hope and opportunity. We, as a community, must continue to support one another to ensure that we all thrive.

Your collective dedication is driving UNC Charlotte forward. This academic year will present challenges, but we must remain optimistic and determined and keep this forward momentum going. Together, we are unstoppable. Go Niners! 

Sincerely,

Sharon L. Gaber
Chancellor