About University Archives

Part of UNC’s Wilson Special Collections Library, the University Archives is the official repository for the historically valuable, unpublished records of both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the major administrative offices of the UNC System headquartered in Chapel Hill. Records in our holdings date from the chartering of the university in 1789 to the present, and include minute books of the Board of Trustees; correspondence of chancellors, presidents, provosts, and deans; minutes of faculty meetings; files of academic and administrative departments; reports of faculty committees; and records of faculty and student organizations.

Our Mission

The University Archives supports education, research, and public service through stewardship of University records and open engagement with the evolving historical record of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Our Values

  • We believe that exploration of the university’s past contributes to an understanding of the university today, and can inform and inspire visions of its future.
  • We believe that University history is made at all levels of the institution and by all members of the campus community.
  • We acknowledge the impact of bias, conscious and unconscious, on the development of the historical record. We take seriously our responsibility as archivists to engage critically and transparently with collection development.
  • We recognize that collaboration with partners across campus is essential to the success of our work.
  • We believe that effective records management empowers all UNC employees to increase the efficiency and transparency of their work.
  • We value engagement with our professional communities and the shared practices and ethical standards that underpin our work.

Our Vision

  • We aspire, through our own work and in collaboration with others, to make University history accessible and meaningful to the greater UNC community and beyond.
  • We will work to build more inclusive collections that document people and events that have been excluded, underrepresented, or misrepresented. We recognize that we cannot do this work alone. We will be respectful and open in our engagement with the UNC community to ensure that more voices and perspectives are preserved.
  • We recognize that the University Archives is not the only resource for preserving and studying UNC history. We will encourage and collaborate with other efforts to document and share the history of UNC.
  • We will promote a culture of transparency and accountability in the UNC records management program.
  • We aspire to serve as a center of expertise on digital records and digital preservation through working with colleagues in the University Library and across campus to ensure that the digital record of UNC history is preserved.
  • We strive to reduce barriers to access to University Archives collections.