The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of The University of North Carolina and other public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State free of expense.
History Note. - The provisions of this section are similar to those of Art. IX, § 7, Const. 1868.
Legal Periodicals. - For comment on state regulation of private religious schools, see 16 Wake Forest L. Rev. 405 (1980).
CASE NOTES
Broad authority granted to University of North Carolina (UNC) campus trustees under G.S. 116-33, including the authority to assess fines for the loss, damage, or late return of campus library materials, is intended to promote the remedial purpose of keeping the cost of an education at the several UNC campuses as low as possible; because G.S. 116-33 advances this remedial purpose, the statute is constitutional under N.C. Const. art. IX, § 9, which is a co-equal provision with N.C. Const. art. IX, § 7. Thus, the clear proceeds of payments collected pursuant to G.S. 116-33 are not subject to N.C. Const. art. IX, § 7. N.C. Sch. Bds. Ass'n v. Moore, 160 N.C. App. 253, 585 S.E.2d 418 (2003).
Cited in Gwathmey v. State ex rel. Dep't of Env't, Health & Natural Resources, 342 N.C. 287, 464 S.E.2d 674 (1995).
Opinions of Attorney General
Local School Administrative Unit Levying Taxes at Local Level. - The legislature may by statute, consistently with the Constitution, provide that a local school administrative unit may levy taxes at the local level but such taxing authority must be conferred either by a general law, applicable statewide, or by local act subject to a vote of those persons affected. See opinion of Attorney General to Mr. John B. Dunn, Superintendent, Edenton-Chowan Schools, 60 N.C.A.G. 17 (April 24, 1990).
TACIT Program Upheld. - The TACIT Program, offered by North Carolina State University's Department of Urban Affairs to units of local government to educate employees with respect to selecting appropriate computer equipment, does not violate the provisions of G.S. 66-58. See opinion of Attorney General to Mr. George E. Tatum, Register of Deeds, Cumberland County, 55 N.C.A.G. 101 (1986).