Neoliberalism is a far-reaching ideology that has impacted public higher education since its inception. This ideology poses significant challenges to historic and contemporary promises of public higher education. In this paper, I explore the complex and often contentious relationship between neoliberalism and public higher education beginning with a brief historical analysis the purposes and goals of public higher education within the United States. I also examine the historical and contemporary democratic elements of public universities, specifically those that comprise the UNC System. As part of this study, I also examine the macro-level implications of neoliberalism on a national level. As a former administrator within public higher education, I share my experiences within the Academic and Student Affairs fields to illustrate the micro-level effects of neoliberal influences within higher education. I conclude with recommendations that are focused on greater institutional equity, increased access to public higher education, and collaborative practices that can be implemented to create a more democratically robust public university. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]