iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

This, on "return on investment," is also a notable part of the UNC letter:

Screenshot from the UNC letter, reads as follows: Affordable tuition is only part of the value equation. A comprehensive return-on-investment analysis
found that the median incremental lifetime ROI for a completed UNC System bachelor’s degree is nearly
$500,000. Ninety-four percent of undergraduate programs studied produced a positive return, and the
typical graduate recovered the cost of the degree in less than 10 years. The UNC System has since joined
the U.S. Census Bureau’s Postsecondary Employment Outcomes initiative, giving students and families
access to employment and earnings information one, five, and 10 years after graduation across levels of
study and academic programs.
We ensure that students understand the price, likely borrowing, completion record, employment
outcomes, and educational purpose of a program before they enroll. We use those data in program
planning and review, redirect resources toward strong demand and clear public need, and require
improvement where outcomes persistently fall short.
Economic return also should not be mistaken for first-year salary alone. A public university prepares
nurses, engineers, teachers, scientists, artists, public servants, entrepreneurs, and thoughtful citizens.
The benefits include career advancement and financial security, but also the broad intellectual capacity
that sustains innovation, civic life, and personal agency. Keeping tuition low allows students to pursue
that wider range of callings without having every academic choice dictated by fear of debt.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

The final sign off, with more on the mission of the public university:

Screenshot from the UNC letter, reads as follows: The UNC System’s Commitment to the People
In summary, North Carolina has long regarded its public universities as a core part of the state and
nation’s infrastructure of opportunity and prosperity. We are here to meet the needs of North
Carolinians and the Americans fortunate enough to study here.
It is our belief that public institutions, with their deep and daily connection to the citizenry they are
called to serve, ought to be the models for American higher education. North Carolina’s public
universities have a marrow-deep understanding of what they owe the people who sustain them and we
have built policies, the culture, and the accountability mechanisms to keep faith with that calling.
Public service is not a public relations strategy or political expediency. It is the enduring work of a public
university in a self-governing republic. We welcome federal accountability that is clear, lawful, focused
on broadly supported public needs, and respectful of constitutional rights, state governance, academic
professionalism, and the distinct missions of public institutions.
The University of North Carolina System stands ready to continue that work, and to demonstrate what
public higher education can achieve when it remains firmly grounded in service to the people.
Sincerely,
Peter Hans Kellie Hunt Blue
President
The University of North Carolina
Chair
UNC Board of Governors

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

On the public university and education for free citizens:

Screenshot from the UNC letter, reads as follows: Affordability, Value, and Student Outcomes
Affordability is at the heart of our public compact. In exchange for generous public support, the
University of North Carolina will remain accessible to students at every income level. Tuition for North
Carolina residents is among the lowest in the nation, and in-state undergraduates saw no increase in
tuition for the past nine years.
In February 2026, the Board of Governors approved the first increase since 2017, capped at 3% and
averaging approximately $125 for newly entering students. Current students saw no change, in keeping
with our policy of holding tuition constant during four years of enrollment.
The state of North Carolina has provided additional substantial support as part of the NC Promise
program, which is a publicly funded affordable tuition initiative that lowers tuition to $500 per semester
for North Carolina residents at four UNC System institutions in different geographic areas of the state.
During the period of disciplined tuition restraint, our students graduated with less debt. The share of
graduates leaving with student debt fell from 62% in 2017 to 48% in 2025, and the amount borrowed
declined by 35% between 2018 and 2025.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

This evening, the UNC System released its response to Secretary McMahon's call. Some notable passages below. First, on free expression and free inquiry:

Screen shot of UNC System letter, reads as follows: Free Speech and Open Inquiry
A university cannot pursue truth unless people are free to speak and eager to listen. It cannot meet its
mission when coercion or ideological conformity sets the limit of debate. As the nation’s first public
university, the University of North Carolina affirms its longstanding commitment to free speech and free
expression for its students, faculty members, staff employees, and visitors under the First Amendment
of the U.S. Constitution and Article 1, Section 14 of the North Carolina Constitution. The University and
its constituent institutions protect and promote these freedoms, consistent with First Amendment
jurisprudence and an earnest conviction that free expression best serves the university’s mission.
The UNC System policy on Free Speech and Free Expression protects the rights of students, faculty, staff,
and invited speakers to express lawful views, including views that others may find deeply objectionable.
Any restrictions on expression must be clear and neutral as to content and viewpoint. At the
institutional level, we have adopted a posture of administrative restraint so that faculty and students
are free to develop their own positions on the political controversies of the day, free from any
perception of an official, institutional stance. Our institutions should host informed debate, not attempt
to settle it by official decree. See UNC Policy 1300.8 - Policy on Free Speech and Free Expression Within
the University of North Carolina System.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

I am pro "AI literacy," partly because I'm SO skeptical of LLMs usefulness in much of the writing process. But I think universities need to be cautious about fixating on students learning particular tools or platforms rather than general principles for exactly the reason Leiden gives here. (1/2)

Screenshot of Bloomberg piece linked in the next post, reads as follows: Hopes of an employment boon may be premature. Recent data shows a slowdown in hiring has driven rising unemployment among 18- to 24-year-olds more than a shortage of AI training. Erik Leiden, managing director of workforce strategy at Burning Glass, says many of the AI boot camps cropping up don’t necessarily match jobs that exist yet. Some programs are built around the products of major AI labs, primarily at Anthropic, Google, Microsoft and OpenAI, and may prove less relevant to jobs that use different platforms. “Everyone is telling schools, you need to get in on AI, it’s urgent, it’s the future, it’s here,” he says. “But it’s tough for colleges to know what students are going to need in the workforce, because it’s such an open question right now.”

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

It was wonderful to be part of Fayetteville State University's welcome festivities today! As I shared in my remarks, the University of North Carolina System Faculty Assembly's work on academic freedom has laid an important foundation in how we're approaching: (1/3)

Photo of Rob Taber, in a suit, at a podium on a stage, with a slide in the background that says "Academic Freedom and the Road Ahead"

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Harris Teeter and Organic Valley, taking advantage of how no one understands imperial units anymore.

Picture of a pint of Organic Valley Grassmilk half & half being sold for $5.49, while a 16 ounce container is being sold for $4.19

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

I'm impressed they managed to say this with a straight face.

Screenshot from Brookings piece on AI in education research, reads as follows: "Conversations about AI in education often start with the right question: Is there evidence of the effects of this technology? Of course, we want to know the likely effects of an intervention before it hits the classroom. Too often, though, the next question gets very narrow: What have we learned about the technology from randomized controlled trials (RCTs)? RCTs are hard to come by, so the conversation (and the pursuit of evidence) tends to stop there. Perhaps this helps explain why only 1 in 5 edtech products in classrooms have any evidence that they can improve teaching and learning outcomes." The last sentence is highlighted.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Spending my afternoon at a Fayetteville Newsmakers event organized by @theassemblync.bsky.social and hosted by Fayetteville State. Notable moment: a member of the audience spoke up to denounce the Iran War for its human and economic cost. That does NOT happen here, especially at events like this.

Snapshot of panel on stage, including Paul Woolverton, senior reporter at CityView and moderator; Mayor Mitch Colvin of Fayetteville; Kirk deViere, chairman of the Cumberland County Commission; John Hardin, Executive Director for the North Carolina Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

I see both Norton and ProQuest have rolled out AI tools that pop up when students use their books. Meanwhile, Macmillan seems incapable of adding an index to their e-textbook. 🙄

Screenshot from Proquest FAQ on AI assistant, reads as follows:

We highly recommend keeping the Research Assistant enabled. Here are a few things to consider

Students are already using AI tools – The Ebook Central Research Assistant provides a trusted, responsible alternative within a secure academic environment.
It supports research, not shortcuts – Designed to guide, not do the work, it helps students navigate chapters and build their own understanding.
Boosts engagement and usage – Encourages deeper reading, better evaluation, and exploration of additional titles.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

It might! And that's one reason I'm glad CPHE has been engaging with faculty experts and leaders for more than a year on what an intellectual diversity standard and accompanying guidance could look like, including these footnotes. 7/7

Screenshot from the Commission for Public Higher Education's evidentiary guidance, dated May 11, 2026, footnote 9, reads as follows:

“Reasonable ideas” should be defined by faculty within the discipline in question. Every idea is not reasonable, sound, or relevant for discussion in a college or university classroom. For example, pursuit of
intellectual diversity does not require faculty in the geological sciences to give audience to the assertion that the Earth is flat.

Screenshot of Commission for Public Higher Education's evidentiary guidance, dated May 11, 2026, footnote 10, which reads as follows:

At issue are not the personal politics, affiliations, or ideologies of individual faculty, other teaching staff, or those who coordinate co-curricular matters. Nor should this standard be interpreted to encourage ideological balancing or quotas or political litmus tests.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Second, the UNC System is putting money into civil discourse from the bottom-up, with course development and redesign grants. Faculty at 16 out of 17 UNC institutions are recipients. (Full disclosure: I am one of these faculty.)

Screenshot from link in first post, reads as follows:

"But the UNC System is up for the challenge. This summer, scores of faculty members from across the state gathered for the Common Ground Collaborative, a new effort to promote civic discourse and constructive dialogue at North Carolina’s public universities. There is already excellent work happening across the state, with BridgeUSA chapters growing on many campuses and faculty members working with the Civic Discourse and Debate Alliance at nearly all public universities.

The UNC System Office is investing real money to broaden the effort, thus far awarding more than $500,000 in grants that will allow dozens of faculty across 16 UNC campuses to build or redesign courses to emphasize open debate and civil dialogue. We’re restarting the highly-regarded 2022 survey on Free Expression and Constructive Dialogue, which offered a detailed look at student attitudes about free speech and political engagement. And we’re partnering with the Constructive Dialogue Institute to deliver training to hundreds of students this fall in how to listen and work through disagreement.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

As Eric points out, this is an argument that UNC System President Peter Hans has been making since at least February, when the UNC Board of Governors unanimously ratified a more detailed definition of academic freedom. (Which can be seen here, 601 A. and B.: www.northcarolina.edu/apps/policy/...)

Screenshot of article linked in first post, reads as follows:

“If we want our universities to survive as freethinking, truth-seeking institutions, we need to toughen up our commitment to free inquiry and civic discourse,” UNC System President Peter Hans said earlier this spring, announcing the new civic initiatives alongside a stronger definition of academic freedom. “It took many years of disruption and distraction to reach the challenging state we’re in now, and it will take many years of patient recommitment to sustain the culture of inquiry and truth-seeking we need.”

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

First is the way Eric argues that civil discourse / civic education at the university level REQUIRES robust protection of academic freedom.

Screenshot of article linked in previous post, reads as follows:

“Trust has to be intentionally built,” explained Jake Fay, who leads education efforts for the Constructive Dialogue Institute. “You have to design your classroom for it.”

And universities have to design their policies for it. That’s why the UNC System has some of the strongest free speech and academic freedom protections in the nation, including a provision that explicitly protects the teaching of controversial ideas. If we want our students to be ready for the rough-and-tumble of American public life, we need classrooms where students and professors alike are comfortable tackling tough issues.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

It's real! MUCH appreciation to all of the task force members, the participants in the University of North Carolina System's Common Ground Collaborative, and EVERYONE who has shared thoughts, insights, and recommended readings over the last several months. 🧵

Cover page of "Civil Discourse and the University of North Carolina: Strong Civility, Culture of Collaborative Problem-Solving, and Inherent Dignity." Prepared by the UNC System Faculty Taskforce on Civil Discourse, June 2026

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Next (re)reading obtained, courtesy of the Fayetteville State interlibrary loan team.

Cover of Lara Hope Schwartz's Try to Love the Questions and the title page of David Geggus's Slavery, War, and Revoluton

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

...but were there other entrants?

Picture of a banner in French declaring the Charles de Gaulle airport the best airport in Europe for the fifth year in a row

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

For sure. That's a whole lot of upfront capital. But building (out) more of our universities makes lots of sense. Fayetteville State has a very effective "free summer school" program to speed time to degree that we've had to use private $$ for. Public money for that > axing gen eds.

Screenshot of New York Times article on Rahm Emanuel's proposed higher education reforms, with the highlight "would reward universities that provide a clear path to earn a four-year degree in three years."

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Si vous savez, vous savez

View from the back porch of the French National Archives in Pierrefitte-sur-Seine, including an artificial pond and a building with wooden lattice work in front.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

School rankings are deeply problematic (what gets measured? how is it weighted?). That said, it's striking that @ncssm-durham.bsky.social isn't just the #1 public high school in the country, it's only behind Hotchkiss and Philips Exeter in the overall rankings.

Screenshot of Niche dot com rankings, showing Philips Exeter as the number two private school in the country, followed by the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics as the top public school in the country.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Honored to help kickoff the UNC System's Common Ground Collaborative at UNC Charlotte, sharing thoughts from the UNC Faculty Task Force's work on civil discourse: -Civil discourse work is to foster a culture of deliberative problem-solving. (1/3)

Photo of Rob Taber standing behind a UNC Charlotte podium.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

We've got the cheery "scheduled maintenance." Yes, if by scheduled, one means "30 minutes ago when the breach occurred."

Screenshot of Canvas error message with robots fixing a rocket ship and the words "Canvas is currently undergoing schedule maintenance - check back soon."

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

There is just so much (wrong) happening here.

Screenshot of linked pdf, reads as follows: "Slavery Uprising in Santo Domingo: Between 1791 and 1804, a slave revolt in Haiti resulted in a race war, cruelty, and bloodshed. Over 100,000 whites and 60,000 blacks
were killed. The violence caused American statesmen to realize that an imprudent or rash approach to resolving slavery could result in a similar race war and bloodshed in America."

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Honestly, lecture prep is one of my favorite things about being a professor. Seen here: a Costa Rican memorial to Central America's defeat of William Walker, depicted running away from the battle.

Statute of six figures. Five represent different Central American nations: Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. They are brandishing weapons and charging the sixth figure—William Walker, a US filibuster, who repeatedly tried to take over parts of Central America to re-establish slavery.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

There's something truly wild about the higher ed literature from the post-9/11 but pre-Facebook era. It's both deeply familiar and so utterly different.

Title page for Educating Citizens: Preparing America's Undergraduates for Lives of Moral and Civic Responsibility

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

There are lots of radical ideas in the 151 pages of regulations the Department of Education is proposing. This one involves a fundamental misunderstanding or misrepresentation of how academic life works. 🧵 (1/7)

Screenshot of article linked in quoted post, with this sentence highlighted: "The proposals also would prohibit professionals in the field and even representatives of accredited programs from setting policy and standards for the accreditor.

The rest of the screenshot reads as follows:

Having to rent separate office space could increase costs, programmatic accreditors argue, and not being able to tap the expertise of professionals in the field could lower the rigor of the accrediting process and contribute to lower-quality programs.

Another proposal would create a sort of “chicken and egg” problem, the anonymous programmatic accreditation leader said. Accreditors would have to more clearly demonstrate a “federal link” — in other words, evidence that they have a tie to federal money — to receive Education Department recognition.

The problem, the source said, is that the federal money in question may be going to students or an institution through a grant program that requires accreditation from a federally recognized accreditor. But if the student or institution doesn’t get the grant, then the accreditor could lose recognition.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

"Woke," with its current construction and similar connotation, goes back at least 100 years. The Houston Informer, 24 May 1924:

Screenshot of the column The Mirror by C. F. Richardson, titled "Stay Woke." Screenshot reads as follows: Have you heard the latest street slang, "Stay Woke?" While some of the slang expressions do not have much meaning or significance, this recent one does. It means that one should ever be on the job; should be on the alert and not rat or sleep at the post of duty.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

A good case study in "sticker price ≠ cost of attendance for a majority of undergrads"

Screenshot, reads as follows: The majority of Duke students don’t pay the full cost of attendance, however, thanks to the financial aid office. The school says it meets 100% of demonstrated need, and distributed $171 million in need-based grants and scholarships last year.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

Who could have predicted this?* *Everyone, that's who.

Screenshot that reads as follows: AI companies are hooking users with low prices that won't last — straight out of the Amazon and Uber playbook, Axios AI+ co-author Madison Mills writes.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

And this is where good-faith engagement by elected faculty representatives and leaders really did make a difference across the past month. I'm glad we can use a fuller range of examples in class and that the prohibition on "ideological advocacy" (a term undefined in UNC code or NC law) was dropped.

Screenshot, including strike throughs of text.

The phrase "The Parameters of Academic Freedom Do Not Include" has been modified to be all lower case instead of title case.

The sentence "Teaching content clearly unrelated to the course description or unrelated to the discipline or subject matter" has been replaced with "Teaching content that lacks pedagogical connection to the course, discipline, or subject matter."

The sentence "Using university resources for political or ideological advocacy in violation of university policy" is now "Using university resources for political activity in violation of university policy."

The sentence "Refusing to comply with institutional policies or accreditation standards to which the university is subject" has been modified to remove "accreditation standards."

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

As Ryan notes in his article, UNC's definition includes many of the same protections found in other descriptions of academic freedom, along with some parameters. NB: other definitions, including the AAUP's 1940 statement, also include parameters. The question then becomes where to draw the line.

Screenshot of the AAUP's 1940 statement on academic freedom that reads as follows: "Academic Freedom
1. Teachers are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results, subject to the adequate performance of their other academic duties; but research for pecuniary return should be based upon an understanding with the authorities of the institution.

2. Teachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject, but they should be careful not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter which has no relation to their subject. Limitations of academic freedom because of religious or other aims of the institution should be clearly stated in writing at the time of the appointment.

3. College and university teachers are citizens, members of a learned profession, and officers of an educational institution. When they speak or write as citizens, they should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but their special position in the community imposes special obligations. As scholars and educational officers, they should remember that the public may judge their profession and their institution by their utterances. Hence, they should at all times be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others, and should make every effort to indicate that they are not speaking for the institution."

The phrase "but they should be careful not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter which has no relation to their subject" is highlighted in the screenshot.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

It's also worth taking a look at what was actually passed by the Board of Governors today. (It's too wordy for alt text on Bluesky, but it's pages 18 through 21 on the pdf here: www.northcarolina.edu/apps/bog/doc... ) (4/8)

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

Also in this video, Sarah talking farm economics with @petebuttigieg.bsky.social.

Screen capture of a YouTube video that shows Sarah Taber and Pete Buttigieg talking on a farm in Wisconsin in the middle of winter. It looks cold.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Here's what's currently in the UNC Code regarding academic freedom. All of this is in the version that was in the January Board of Governors meeting materials: www.northcarolina.edu/apps/bog/doc...

Screenshot, reads as follows: (1) The University of North Carolina System is dedicated to the transmission and
advancement of knowledge and understanding. Academic freedom is essential to the
achievement of these purposes. The University therefore supports and encourages freedom of
inquiry for faculty members and students, to the end that they may responsibly pursue these
goals through teaching, learning, research, discussion, and publication, free from internal or
external restraints that would unreasonably restrict their academic endeavors.
(2) The University and each constituent institution shall protect faculty and students in their
responsible exercise of the freedom to teach, to learn, and otherwise to seek and speak the truth.
(3) Faculty and students of the University of North Carolina System shall share in the
responsibility for maintaining an environment in which academic freedom flourishes and in which
the rights of each member of the academic community are respected.
SECTION 601. ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY OF FACULTY.
(1) It is the policy of the University of North Carolina System to support and encourage full
freedom, within the law, of inquiry, discourse, teaching, research, and publication for all members
of the academic staffs of the constituent institutions. Members of the faculty are expected to
recognize that accuracy, forthrightness, and dignity befit their association with the University and
their position as faculty members. They should not represent themselves, without authorization,
as spokespersons for the University of North Carolina System or any of its constituent institutions.
(2) The University and its constituent institutions shall not penalize or discipline members of
its faculties because of the exercise of academic freedom in the lawful pursuit of their respective
areas of scholarly and professional interest and responsibility.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Happening tomorrow night at Fayetteville State University! Fayetteville / Cumberland friends, come join us as we kick off #America250 and #BlackHistoryMonth! #nc

Flyer for the annual Lafayette Lecture, titled "Enslaved Afro-Virginian Women in a Revolutionary World," occurring on January 29 from 6 to 7:30 PM in 242 Rudolph Jones Student Center at Fayetteville State University. Presenter is Dr. Adam McNeil.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

Many congratulations to @kimberlyhardync.bsky.social on becoming THE Democratic nominee in #NC07

Screenshot of a North Carolina Democratic Party tweet about how Trump +10-15 seats are looking super vulnerable + much more competitive, including NC-07.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

All I've ever wanted, really.

Graphic from New York Times Connections noting that this year I've solved it without any mistakes 200 times, putting me in the top 1% of all players.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

First tournament title is in the books! Proud of my quizbowlers.

A graphic congratulating Terry Sanford Quiz Bowl on first place in the John Paul II Winter Invitational in the Greenville, North Carolina.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

North Carolina's next Congresswoman: @kimberlyhardync.bsky.social. Over 50 people came out for her post-filing event in Fayetteville tonight! Join the campaign: kimberlyhardyforcongess.com

Picture of Kimberly Hardy in a blazer speaking in front of an American flag.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

President Peter Hans of the UNC System in his newsletter today: "It's an important moment to shore up our shared commitment to academic freedom and open inquiry." #HigherEd

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Happy "Fayetteville turns into Stars Hollow" Day to all who celebrate!

An A-board stands on a brick sidewalk, advertising "roving street musicians" for Fayetteville's A Dickens Holiday.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 23/11/2025

Coming out a week before I taught my first class at Fayetteville State, this line in particular has been my cri de coeur.

Screenshot of the above-linked piece with the following line highlighted: What could be more elitist than deciding that first-generation or working-class students going to community colleges and state colleges don’t need or deserve the same opportunities for intellectual growth and exploration available to privileged students at elite private universities?

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Thanks to our proximity to Fort Bragg and Camp LeJeune, every county in the district has a veteran population higher than the national average. In Cumberland, it's three times higher and in Brunswick it's almost twice as high.

Screenshot of ARC GIS visualization of American Community Survey data of percentage of adults in each county who are military veterans.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Unlike the other two districts in eastern NC, NC-07 has actually moved toward the Dems in federal elections during the Trump era, in part because of the growth of Inner Banks communities in greater Wilmington, in part because of shifting votes in Fayetteville.

Screenshot from Dave's Redistricting, showing updated NC Congressional districts by trend from 2016 US Senate to 2022 US Senate.

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