If your main concern is travel time to/from CLT, then what time do you expect to travel? I moved to CLT about 6 months ago (Ballantyne area), and have not found any issues with traffic when doing the typical early AM flight out and late Evening return. At these times, this trip never takes me more than 30min.

Leaving in the mid morning or trying to get home from CLT between 4-6pm would probably be the worst you'd have to deal with.

As for alternatives to UNCC, have you considered living uptown?