UNC Registrar Chris Derickson leaves for position at Duke

Chris Derickson, the former University Registrar, has left his position of 10 years with UNC to take on the position of assistant vice provost and director of Student Information Systems and Services Office at Duke University.

Derickson said his decision to leave UNC for Duke was influenced by both personal and professional factors, and came after much discussion and deliberation.

“In general this isn’t about choosing Duke over UNC,” he said. “I leave UNC with so much appreciation for everything the school did for me, but this opportunity is pretty unique. It’s a step up for me that registrars don’t often get.”

Derickson said his new position at Duke is different from anything at UNC and a perfect fit for his interests.

Allison Legge, who has worked at the University for 14 years and served as the senior associate director for enrollment and undergraduate admissions for the past three years, has been named the interim registrar.

Stephen Farmer, vice provost for enrollment and undergraduate admissions, said he is excited for his friend and former colleague’s new position.

“I think it was a hard decision for him,” he said.

“He’s told me that he’s excited for his new opportunity, so it’s hard to not be excited for a friend when he’s going to a new and different opportunity that he wants and that makes sense to him at this point in his life.”

Derickson said Duke was very aggressive in recruiting him for this position and UNC worked very hard to keep him on. But he made the decision to leave UNC in December — it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

He said he will miss the people of UNC the most as he moves to Duke and those he worked with said he will be missed as well.

Jennifer Drake, the team lead for student administrative business analysts, worked with Derickson for six years and said she will miss working with him tremendously.

“I’m very sad,” she said. “Not just because Duke wears clearly the wrong color and is definitely the dark side, but I think the University has lost a visionary and a very strong contributor in Chris Derickson. He has had a very positive and profound impact on the registrar’s office as well as just the University campus in general.”

Drake said Derickson’s shoes will be hard ones to fill, but Farmer said Derickson’s contributions to the registrar position have made it an attractive one.

Derickson said he has already been contacted by registrars across the country interested in the UNC position, and said he is sure the search committee will find someone well-suited to replace him.

Farmer said he is grateful for all Derickson did for the position and the University.

The feeling was mutual for Derickson, who said he will always feel a sense of obligation and commitment to UNC.

“I owe that University so much for giving me one of the best jobs you could ask for in the country,” he said.

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