Board discusses UNC relations

Concerns with local, state and national relations were divided and confronted by a network of University affiliates Friday.

The UNC Board of Visitors met to work on ways to broaden their visibility to all levels of government.

“Carolina, as y’all know, is a global university,” said Michael Smith, dean of the School of Government.

The meeting featured UNC officials involved with all levels of government who discussed local, state and national relations. Visitors heard about problems the University faces on each level.

The relationship between UNC and Chapel Hill is the major concern of local government, said Jonathan Howes, special assistant to the chancellor for town relations and former mayor.

Howes stressed to members of the board that their input can help influence the Town Council.

“Chapel Hill town and Chapel Hill University: The names are basically synonymous,” Howes said. “The two are interchangeable.”

In the past decade, the town and the University have grown apart, said Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy. Many town residents are increasingly anti-University because of campus development and perceptions that UNC officials don’t always consider locals’ opinions.

“There has to be a delineation between the town and the University,” Foy said. “(The constituents) expect us to tell the University what to do.”

As long as UNC makes decisions that do not negatively affect those who live off campus, town officials will not get involved, Foy said.

Members of the board also voiced their concerns with Carolina North, UNC’s proposed satellite campus 1 1/2 miles from the main University. They asked how the town will maintain its charm while facing heavy traffic at the research park.

“If we are building a town of the future, let’s not be ignorant thinking the way we are living now is the way we will be living in the future,” Foy said.

The best way to avoid problems with local government is to build strong communities, he added.

Budget constraints topped concerns at the state level, although funding for higher education has been strong, said Kevin FitzGerald, who serves as the University’s lobbyist.

“We’ve got extraordinary friends in the governor’s office and in the legislature,” he said, adding that UNC must keep in mind that it is a state-funded university when requesting additional money.

Networking is the most effective tool UNC has at the national level, said Allison Rosenberg, assistant vice chancellor for research and federal affairs.

Funding is a major concern, she said. “The world is changing … and the federal budget is going down.”

Rosenberg added that representation is key on Capitol Hill. “We are known as radically liberal in D.C.”

This, she said, affects funding decisions at the federal level.

Partnerships also benefit the University, providing more backing in the government, Rosenberg said.

“Those who are going at it alone are handicapping themselves.”

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.