Opening its doors to students in 1795, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill upholds the distinction of being one of the oldest public universities in the country and the first public university to award degrees during the eighteenth century. Currently, UNC is ranked among several national publications that list the university as a preeminent leader in academic quality, affordability, and diversity. As of 2012, UNC- Chapel Hill, the flagship university of the state’s public college system, has a student body of 29,137. They are taught by 3,221 faculty.