Chancellor Holden Thorp will sit on a council for Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security is the latest arm of the federal government to seek the advice of UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp.

On Thursday, Thorp was appointed to the department’s new academic advisory council by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Thorp is one of 19 leaders from higher education appointed to the group, which will advise Napolitano on topics like security preparedness and international students.

“The secretary’s office asked if I wanted to be on this group and I think it’s good for Homeland Security to have good connection to the academic community,” Thorp said.

“I was honored that she asked me to do that and I’m happy to help our government any way I can.”

This is just the latest appointment to a national policy group for Thorp, who is a member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

He was also among a group of leaders from higher education to meet with President Barack Obama in December about college affordability.

Thorp said he will stress a commitment to open access to higher education for international students to the council.

“It’s important for us to cooperate with groups like Homeland Security so we can help them understand that open inquiry to campuses is an important value to us,” Thorp said.

Wayne Lee, chairman of the peace, war and defense curriculum, said in an email that the one way in which the Department of Homeland Security and higher education intersect is through research and development.

“(The Department of Homeland Security) obviously relies on technologies derived from university and business research for much of what it does, to mention only the most obvious: airport screening,” he said.

“I would hope that one thing higher educators can do is to constantly remind (the Department of Homeland Security) of the rights of citizens, even as it seeks to protect citizens.”

Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Bruce Carney said Thorp’s involvement in national issues helps promote the University.

“We’re known by our graduates and by our faculty — and he’s both,” he said.

“The chancellor has a lot of expertise — and a lot of interest — in national security.”

Contact the University Editor at university@dailytarheel.com.