Even prior to UNC-system President Tom Ross’s official resignation, the UNC community has been abuzz with the question of who will step into the presidency next.
When Daily Tar Heel Columnist Seth Rose wrote in September about rumors of conservative billionaire Art Pope potentially assuming the role, Ross quickly denied this as meaningless speculation, declaring decisively: “I have no timetable for retirement and remain fully committed to leading our great University system.”
Ross’ comments now seem largely meaningless given the power the UNC Board of Governors used to force his resignation. More disturbingly, given the lack of ideological, racial or experiential representation on the newly created UNC presidential nomination committee, the possibility of Pope or someone of his ideological leanings becoming president of the system seems increasingly likely.
Replicating the demographics of their current membership, the board has chosen a largely conservative, white male group to select the new UNC-system president. Out of the 12-person nominating committee, the board approved only two women, one African-American and one Democrat to serve.
These dynamics are unsurprising given that they are selecting members of their own flawed governing body. But given the board’s power to make changes to this nominating group, their action to maintain the status quo highlights the board’s continuing tone-deafness and lack of connection with its constituency.
In addition to these representation issues, the movements by the board to expand their candidate pool to include more private-sector leaders is simultaneously troubling and predictable. In November discussions of the idea of seeking non-academic candidates in relation to a chancellor selection process, several board members expressed a desire to find candidates that better understand the current job market in a marked snub of academia.
While Tom Ross does not come from an academic background, the willingness of board members to espouse a McCrory-esque critique of academia and instead advocate for an explicit vocational emphasis in higher education disrespects the necessity of a strong liberal arts foundation of the UNC system.
To address these troubling trends, the board must reform its process to include more diverse perspectives in its selection process. It should add student, faculty and staff seats to the nominating committee, putting a special emphasis on including people of color and particularly women of color. These voices should have equal power on the committee, providing alternative perspectives on criteria necessary for the new president.
The future of the UNC system depends on the selection of a leader who values a strong public university that benefits all North Carolinians. Given the past decisions of the Board of Governors, this editorial board wonders whether that future is attainable.
