Vitter lives by 6 core values

Despite a strong desire to team up with Chancellor Holden Thorp and an uncanny resemblance to him, Jeffrey Vitter is not his twin.

Beyond dispelling that rumor, Vitter gave a sense of who he was and explained his plan for UNC Thursday at the last of three forums for students and faculty to meet and interview finalists for the University’s No. 2 administrative role.

Vitter, a finalist for the position of executive vice chancellor and provost, said he believes his positive can-do attitude and core values could help UNC do anything it sets its mind to.

“My aspiration is to be an enabling, transformative provost,” he said.

Vitter said his experience, background and family have contributed to his six core values: having personal integrity, facilitating transparency and communication, helping people succeed, encouraging academic excellence, building a diverse, multicultural environment and being open to change.

Vitter used examples from his time as provost of Texas A&M University, dean of the College of Science at Purdue University and chairman of the Department of Computer Science at Duke University to support his strategic plan for UNC.

Whoever is selected as the provost will oversee all academic affairs at UNC, which will include managing the University’s budget, laying out a new academic vision and overseeing research and student affairs.

Vitter spent most of his time focusing on transparency in decision-making, which he said draws people in and encourages dialogue. At Texas A&M, Vitter said he attended faculty meetings for more than 50 departments.

“I focus on being a good listener,” he said.

While his background is in science, Vitter said he values a diverse education that includes humanities and arts departments.

“The liberal arts are the heart and soul of a great comprehensive university,” he said.

In response to a question about the lack of diverse candidates in the pool for the position, Vitter highlighted his experiences at Purdue that allowed him to create diversity in the recruitment of faculty, and said he would try to foster a diverse atmosphere at UNC.

“A search should not go forward without a large and diverse pool,” he said.

While at Purdue, Vitter said the university doubled its rate of hiring women and minorities. At last week’s Board of Trustees meeting, administrators questioned whether UNC is doing enough to bring in minority faculty members.

This focus on diversity continued into student life as Vitter talked about increasing global initiatives, another major university push.

At Purdue, Vitter oversaw the development of a residence hall program to promote diversity awareness and the doubling of study abroad participation in college of science.

Sophomore Ian Lee said he would like to see the next provost do a better job of linking the academic aspects of campus with student life.

“There’s room to integrate those two and create a more academically vibrant environment outside of class,” he said.



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.