Press release

from Office of the Governor

Gov. Bev Perdue today ordered state flags to be lowered immediately to half-staff on all state facilities in honor of former University of North Carolina System President William, Friday, who died this morning at age 92. Funeral arrangements are pending. All North Carolinians are invited to join in this tribute.

Dr. Friday was a beloved icon in North Carolina who presided over the UNC System, 1956 to 1986. The AP described it as a period that included desegregation, challenges to free speech and the creation of a 16-campus state university system. Enrollment began to surge during his tenure, setting the stage for major expansions and battles over tuition increases in the years since he retired.