BOG Launches Search for UNC System President

Posted on May 4, 2015

The UNC System Board of Governors expects to choose a new president for the 17-campus system this fall, with the intent that the person take office at the beginning of 2016. The BOG is pursuing a three-part process in its search for a successor to President Thomas Ross ’75 (JD).

The Leadership Statement Committee will solicit public input and develop the leadership statement setting forth the leadership characteristics desired in the new president. The search committee will establish guidelines for compensation and benefits for the president; develop a search plan; recommend a search firm; and determine one or more finalists to be presented to the BOG for consideration. The screening committee will review the pool of applicants and recommend a list for the search committee.

All three committees are chaired by Board of Governors’ member Joan MacNeill of Asheville.

The search and screening committees are made up exclusively of BOG members; the Leadership Statement Committee includes faculty and students, chancellors and trustees and other officials from some of the campuses.

The search committee has sought proposals from a number of executive search firms and hopes to have one selected by mid-May.

The system will host four regional public input sessions, all at 7 p.m.:

• May 26, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Sherrill Center, Asheville;
• May 27, East Carolina University, East Carolina Heart Institute, Greenville;
• May 28, North Carolina Central University, Mary Townes Science Complex, Durham; and
• June 1, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Harris Alumni Center, Charlotte.

All the sessions will be streamed on the Internet. Those who cannot attend one of the sessions can fill out a short survey — open until May 22. The survey and information about the input sessions can be found at northcarolina.edu/presidential-search.

The BOG voted in January to end Ross’ tenure as president after five years. Ross made it clear he was not ready to retire, but the board decided it wanted a change, offering few concrete clues as to why it wanted Ross out.

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