Anthony Monaco emphasizes experience in first provost forum

Without the financial aid package Anthony Monaco received as an undergraduate, attending Princeton University would have been out of reach.

Monaco, one of three finalists for the position of Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, used the example to illustrate his dedication to making higher education accessible to students of all tax brackets

“This showed me the power of financial aid for accessibility to higher education,” Monaco said Thursday, speaking to a crowd of about 70 at the first of three forums to meet and interview the provost finalists.

If chosen as provost, he will serve as UNC’s top academic officer and No. 2 administrator.

Beyond sustaining financial aid while keeping tuition costs as low as possible, Monaco’s ambitions for UNC include increasing environmental sustainability, promoting diversity among faculty and enhancing the student experience in both classrooms and residence halls.

“I firmly believe in academic freedom being paramount,” he said.

Monaco highlighted experiences that he said make him a strong candidate for the position, such as managing budgets and working closely with heads of departments as pro-vice-chancellor for planning and resources at the University of Oxford.

Like Oxford, state-funded universities such as UNC must work to find other sources of funding in order to maintain academic advancement while keeping tuition manageable.

Monaco addressed topics from increasing gender and minority diversity among faculty to funding for humanities and fine arts.

When asked about increasing faculty diversity, Monaco said it is important to integrate female and minority candidates at different levels of careers, not just at the head positions.

Trying to diversify is harder if people wait for the search for higher level positions, he said.

Monaco also praised the value of a well-rounded education.

“I do believe a broad humanities education and appreciation for the arts are something people take with them all life long,” he said.

Anne Whisnant, president for the Association for Women Faculty and Professionals, said she was impressed with Monaco’s responses.

“It’s a complicated job,” she said. “I thought he gave complicated answers that satisfied the questions. He spoke with a degree of humility about his areas of expertise.”

He has an awareness of issues outside his immediate field, she said.

The other candidates, Scott Zeger and Jeffrey Vitter, will speak Feb. 1 and 4, respectively.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.