<p>I think, beyond the finances, the view here is that the UNC system (including NC State, UNC-W, Appalachian, etc) is in the business of educating North Carolinians. It is a very different philosophy than, say, Virginia’s public universities, where OOS #s are in the 35% range. Having paid taxes and dealt with universities in both states, I much prefer North Carolina’s approach.</p>
<p>As for diversity, most people in North Carolina, well, certainly the major metro areas, are not natives. My daughter’s high school is filled with kids from the northeast, midwest, west coast, other parts of the South, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. Those kids are residents of this state, their parents pay taxes, and most of them will be educated in UNC system schools and ensure valuable diversity.</p>