3 UNC Newcomers Join Forces in Leadership

But the trio believe the act has been anything but tedious.

After the October installation of Chancellor James Moeser, the University's ninth chancellor, UNC quickly saw the appointments of new Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Nancy Suttenfield in November and new Provost Robert Shelton in February.

And the three administrators agree the working dynamic that has been cultivated has been congenial and efficient.

Moeser said he has developed a compatible working relationship with Shelton and Suttenfield and that the year has been a smooth transition. "We do balance each other's strengths," he said. "Each of us has our own reservoir of experiences."

All three administrators have come from strong backgrounds at out-of-state institutions, where they gained those experiences. Moeser has brought strengths from his work as chancellor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as have Shelton and Suttenfield in their posts at the University of California-Davis and Case Western University, respectively.

Coincidentally, none of the trio has any previous ties to North Carolina. But Moeser said having five established vice chancellors at UNC working with the team has aided in their introductions to a new institution. "We have a wealth of people, as well as their support staff," he said.

But he said the transition was never rocky to begin with. "All of us are experienced," Moeser said. "The situations are not necessarily new."

Shelton said his adjustment the last three months was fast-paced but enjoyable.

"(It's) a learning experience that is even more high-powered than I would have expected," he said.

A unique aspect to Shelton's transition this year has been his dual role as executive vice chancellor and provost, a position he said he is eager to tackle. "I think the two jobs are so intimately interwoven," he said.

When Moeser took the helm at UNC, he announced his intention to combine the positions. The late Chancellor Michael Hooker created the position of executive vice chancellor for Elson Floyd, president of Western Michigan University, in 1995.

Shelton said he accepted the increased responsibility of heading academic, administrative and operating affairs at UNC because the positions always were consulting each other.

It is possibly this type of flexibility that has characterized the administrators' interactions this year. The decision-making process between the three officials in the past year has been effective and cooperative, Moeser said.

"I'm not a detail person," he said. "I'd rather deal with big pictures and broad policy issues."

Moeser said Suttenfield and Shelton complement this trait. "I think, in short, we all have a collegial style of working," he said.

But Moeser said working with Shelton and Suttenfield has not altered his approach to making important administrative calls. "I think each of us -- our styles are pretty well set," Moeser said. "I wouldn't say (my style has) changed."

Suttenfield said she has not changed her approach either. "When I was a candidate, I knew we would have very complementary styles," she said. "We have wonderful leadership here, and that is the ingredient that makes the difference."

An integral responsibility for Moeser is to be out talking and relating to people, Suttenfield said, while she and the provost must focus their energy internally. "Our areas of responsibility do not overlap at all," she said. "But I need to be successful for the provost to be successful," she said.

And Moeser said he believes the administrators' respective styles have shown during some of the University's biggest issues.

He said Suttenfield probably has exhibited her individual strengths in business and finance most effectively during the school's current budget predicament.

Late last month, an N.C. General Assembly subcommittee suggested the UNC system find a way to cut $125 from its budget to combat the state's worst deficit in a decade. UNC's share of the cuts, if implemented, could total $25 million.

Shelton's experience in California also has been a key factor in working with the issue, Moeser said. In the early 1990s, the UNC system faced budget cuts as deep as 12 to 14 percent, almost double what N.C. leaders are projecting today.

"It took five to six years for the university to overcome that, and I'm not sure they still have," Shelton said.

"If there were that level of cuts here, this University will be damaged for at least a decade," he said.

But Moeser does not think the University was caught off guard by the situation. "We were actually prepared for that," he said. "No one panicked -- I think we're well-organized to take the issue to Raleigh."

Suttenfield said she also remains optimistic in the face of the crisis, while maintaining a realistic outlook.

"I think the coming months and year will pose very stiff challenges for us," she said.

"I'm hoping we can mobilize the campus community so we can avert the blows that could be coming."

Because the rapport between the three officials has been so positive, Moeser said he feels confident in his decision to bring out-of-state administrators to UNC. "Every day I feel confirmed," he said.

And Shelton is eager to take on another academic year with Moeser and Suttenfield. He said, "They're both very comfortable in their own skin -- they have a sense of self, and that leads to a confidence that leads them to new ideas."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.