Roper continues to highlight damage of state budget impasse on UNC system

Interim UNC System President Bill Roper continued his recent push for a resolution to the state budget impasse Thursday, visiting Western Carolina University and the Morganton campus of the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics to highlight budget-related problems at both schools.

President Roper met with leaders at both schools to discuss repairs and capital projects but off by the the budget standoff between Gov. Roy Cooper and the GOP majority in the North Carolina General Assembly.

“Continuing support of our universities requires fiscal backing from our state’s leaders,” Roper said. “My concern for the UNC System is, pure and simple, nonpartisan and apolitical, which is why I will continue to request that our state’s leaders on both sides of the aisle come together to find a resolution. I maintain hope that the budget will get enacted. There are no greater examples to illustrate the importance of getting this accomplished than the critical needs that face Western Carolina.”

At Western Carolina the largest problem is an old and failing steam plant that provides heat and hot water for the campus. School leaders say it is one bad winter or mechanical failure from a total shutdown that would cripple the school.

Read more: http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2020/03/06/roper-continues-to-highlight-damage-of-state-budget-impasse-on-the-unc-system/