UNC Chapel Hill Fall 2024 Back to School Media Guide

Carolina welcomes students to campus for the fall semester with Convocation, FallFestand more

This week, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will welcome students back to campus. The University has a number of special events for both new and returning students to begin the fall 2024 semester. Please see below for details on media access to those events and programs, designed to help connect students with the community.

Below you will find:

• Move-in media coverage details

• Scheduled events around the start of the semester including New Student Convocation, School of Civic Life and Leadership Pilot Program, FallFest 2024 and Good Neighbor Initiative

• Guidelines for media accessing campus
  

Move-in Information

• Chancellor Lee H. Roberts will welcome students to campus and help with the move-in process on Friday, Aug. 16, at Carmichael Residence Hallbeginning at 10:30 a.m. Roberts will be available for interviews. Media are welcome to cover this event.

• Media are not allowed inside residence halls due to privacy restrictions, but can photograph and record video from outside of students and their families moving in.

• Please RSVP to media relations at [email protected]by Thursday, Aug. 15 at 5 p.m.

• Please see the parking options outlined here. Parking is also available at Craige Parking Deckon Manning Drive.

• More details about the move-in process can be found here: https://housing.unc.edu/live/future-residents/move-in-and-move-out/move-in/

Scheduled Events

Students, faculty and staff planned a wide array of events and programs aimed at welcoming not only first-year students, but all returning students to campus this fall. Below is a list of some key events planned around the beginning of the fall semester.

New Student Convocation

• Sunday, Aug. 18, at 5 p.m. at the Dean E. Smith Center

• University leaders including Chancellor Lee H. Roberts and Student Body President Jaleah Taylor will welcome first-year and transfer students to the Carolina community and introduce them to what it means to be a Tar Heel.

• A livestream of Convocation will be available. Please check youtube.com/uncchapelhillfor a link to that livestream.

• Media interested in attending Convocation are asked to RSVP to media relations at [email protected]by Friday, Aug. 16, at 5 p.m.

Free Expression Pilot Program

This year, Carolina is launching a pilot program, developed by University leadership and faculty at the School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL), around the topic of free expression. The pilot program, the latest step in the University's response to political polarization, is being offered to approximately 200 of Carolina's incoming first-year students. The 30-minute program details North Carolina's rich tradition of supporting free speech. SCiLL faculty hope to scale the program to make it available to all first-year students in future years.

FallFest 2024

• This year marks the 29th anniversary of the celebration, which will be held on Sunday, Aug. 18, immediately following Convocation. FallFest provides a welcome to campus for new and returning students. It gives all students an opportunity to connect, participate in student activities and learn about upcoming opportunities and events across campus.

• You can find more information about FallFest 2024 here: https://fallfest.unc.edu/

Good Neighbor Initiative

• The Good Neighbor Initiative is a collaborative partnership where volunteers make door-to-door visits to student-rental properties in neighborhoods that have been trouble spots for loud noise and disruptive behavior. Volunteers talk to students before the academic year gets underway about the local laws and ordinances that, if followed, will reduce the likelihood of problems between neighbors and visits from the police.

• The Good Neighbor Door-to-Door Walk takes place Monday, Aug. 19, from 3-6 p.m. in our near-campus and downtown neighborhoods.

• More details can be found here: https://offcampus.unc.edu/resource/the-good-neighbor-initiative/

• Media interested in attending the Good Neighbor Initiative canvass are asked to RSVP to media relations at [email protected]by Friday, Aug. 16, at 5 p.m.

New Tar Heels

• VisitUNC.eduto meet some of the new Tar Heels who will be looking to innovate, educate, serve - and change the world.

Student data

• Fall 2024 student enrollment data will be available after the census date.

Media Guidelines

If you have a media inquiry or any questions, the best way to reach the Media Relations team is via email at [email protected]or phone at 919-445-8555.

Some highlights from the Media Guidelinesinclude the following:

• Media generally are permitted to shoot video, record, photograph and report or otherwise have access to spaces on campus that are open to the public, subject to reasonable time, place and manner restrictions. School groups often visit our campus, and media must not film minors on Carolina's campus without parental permission.

• Residence halls are private living quarters for our students. To protect their privacy and safety, residence halls are locked at all times and access for anyone other than the residents is limited. For the media to access residence halls they must have prior approval from the media relations office ([email protected]) and they must be escorted by a member of the media relations team.

• Classrooms, academic buildings and faculty, staff or student offices or laboratories are not public. Permission to enter must be coordinated through media relations.

• Media must display appropriate credentials at all times while on campus.