Bucks and the bangs

If it were Super Bowl titles or Stanley Cups, 11 straight years would be hailed as a dynasty. The "championship" claimed by UNC-Chapel Hill for 11 years running doesn't lend itself to the familiar sports lingo. But it's certainly a sign of sustained excellence when the university throughout that period has been named, by Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, as the top value among public universities in the country.

Speaking of value, this designation sends the kind of positive signals about North Carolina and the opportunities it provides that money can't buy. But even if the state has become accustomed to this recognition, the key is to avoid taking it for granted. The equation that yields value in higher education has several variables, and the outcome can easily shift - for the worse.

The same applies to Kiplinger's rankings of other UNC system campuses, which all in all paint a flattering picture of how that system serves the state. UNC-CH took top honors as the best value for both in-state and out-of-state students - another feather in its cap, or more precisely in the cap of the public that supports it.

The UNC system has come under severe budget strain in recent years, none so pressing as this year. Campuses react by raising tuition, saying they need the revenue to avoid cutting into academic muscle.

Striking a good balance between quality and price is not a simple matter. But it is the key to upholding value. Revenue must be adequate, especially from general appropriations, while costs to students must be held firmly under control. The "dynasty" in Chapel Hill could be more fragile than it appears. It is worth fighting to preserve.