Clemmie "Dick" Spangler Jr., 15th president of the University of North Carolina system and Charlotte native, has died according to the UNC system.
Before his 11-year tenure leading the public university system from 1986 to 1997, Spangler was a successful businessman. After graduating UNC-Chapel Hill in 1954, he went on to study at Harvard Business School.
As president, Spangler fought for low tuition and was well aware about UNC’s role in the state's economy. Under his tenure, the University’s annual state operating budget nearly doubled, according to a statement from the UNC system.
Before assuming his role as president, Spangler was heavily involved with education. He served as vice-chairperson of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, chairperson of the N.C. State Board of Education, and co-chairperson of the Governor’s Commission on Education for Economic Growth, according to the University’s release.
In a statement this Monday, current UNC-system President Margaret Spellings reflected on Spangler’s legacy.
“He will be remembered as a gifted business leader, a compassionate philanthropist, and above all as a public servant who answered the call of the University at a critical time in its history,” Spellings said in a statement.
