As the next chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill, Holden Thorp will have to balance his duty as an advocate for his campus with his obligation to work within the larger UNC system to make good on a debt to the people of North Carolina.
That will be one of Thorp's greatest challenges. But many of his colleagues from all levels in the University believe the native North Carolinian's savvy and drive will help him succeed.
Although Thorp hasn't talked specifically about his plans to work with other chancellors in the UNC system, Nelson Schwab, chairman of the chancellor search committee, said this reflects well on Thorp.
"He is a very thoughtful person who wants to know the facts and understand the issues," Schwab said.
This thoughtfulness was just one of the traits that helped fuel Thorp's roaring ascent to chancellor. But Schwab said it could mean that Thorp might take several months to get his bearings as a leader in the UNC system.
"I think the next few months are certainly going to be a learning process to understand what those issues are and what role we might play, if any."
UNC-system President Erskine Bowles said Thorp is keenly aware of his duties to both the University and the system. "He has an appreciation for the state and for the University's role within the state," he said.
"As we talked about him moving up to chancellor, he talked about how he really believed it would be in UNC's interest to work in partnership with the other UNC campuses."
Thorp has the advantage of being a native to the state, which many of his colleagues mentioned as a plus.
