Mission Statement
The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is a trusted and collaborative partner in the day to day business and activities of the University and will zealously represent its interests.
The OGC advises and educates the University community regarding best practices across a broad spectrum of legal and regulatory topics.
The OGC promotes a legal environment within the University community that encourages creativity and innovation; and, in doing so, supports the University’s commitment to creatively engage, inform, and educate.
What We Do
- Gives advice on the legal implications of proposed policies and actions and on compliance with federal and state laws, regulations, UNC-System and UNC Asheville policies.
- Drafts, reviews and negotiates university contracts and other legal documents (see University Contract Policy).
- Advises on matters such as due process, campus security, NCAA rules, equal employment and personnel laws, OSHA compliance, open meetings and information access laws, etc.
- Is the sole authority to solicit outside counsel needed by the University.
- Coordinates with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office on litigation by or against the university.
Who We Represent
The OGC provides comprehensive legal services on matters affecting the University. The OGC’s client is the University, which acts through its duly authorized agents, including:
- Board of Trustees
- the Chancellor
- the senior administration
- the University’s faculty and staff
The OGC cannot provide legal assistance to students, nor can it advise staff and faculty about their personal legal matters, but may provide general information about the legal system and referrals to legal aid resources such as:
- Pisgah Legal Services
- Asheville Office of North Carolina Legal Aid
- North Carolina Bar
- North Carolina Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service
Public Records Requests
UNC Asheville believes in public transparency and providing access to open records and public documents to members of the public and news media. Anyone may submit a public records request online via the link below.
We respond as promptly as possible to public records requests while maintaining the privacy rights of our students and employees, as well as other information that is confidential under federal and state laws. To minimize processing time, requesters are advised to be as detailed and specific as possible in identifying the information being sought and for what period of time.
If fulfilling your request requires extensive use of information technology resources, or significant clerical or supervisory assistance, or if producing the records incurs excessive use of technology services, the University may charge a special service fee in addition to the standard copying fee, if applicable. For questions about public records requests, please contact gc@unca.edu.
To submit a public records request, please click here.