Three former leaders of the University of North Carolina shared hope that we can overcome political “chaos” and “shenanigans” and restore sound, positive leadership to the UNC System and to Carolina.
Former system presidents Tom Ross and Margaret Spellings and former UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp addressed the problems – and the potential – in a on February 15, 2024.
With Thorp moderating, Ross and Spellings discussed the 2023 report and recommendations of the Governor’s Commission on the Governance of Public Universities in North Carolina, which the two of them co-chaired.
Highlights:
- None of the three leaders voluntarily left their positions here and Ross and Spellings would have liked to stay longer. Their premature departures are evidence of turmoil and leadership “churn” that are hurting UNC and the entire system.
- There is a perception nationally that “our university is more political than others – and getting more political,” Ross said. He said it’s “not healthy,” for the Board of Governors and boards of trustees to be dominated by one party, as they are today. In the past, he said, the boards set aside partisan politics.
- Spellings said the UNC system faces two key questions: “Are we organized for success?” And, does our governance structure “reflect the diversity of North Carolina” – gender, racial, ethnic and political diversity?
Center of Higher Education Governance
Ross and Spellings emphasized their commission’s first recommendation: that the UNC Board of Governors “create a new Center of Higher Education Governance to optimize the use of good governance principles in higher education throughout America and to assist the Board of Governors (BOG) and Boards of Trustees (BOTs) in enhancing existing governance practices in North Carolina.”
North Carolina could be a national leader here. No other state has such a center, the panelists said.
Spellings suggested, if the Board of Governors doesn’t establish such a center, it could be created through independent, philanthropic action. We know Duke’s Kenan Center for Ethics has a project, headed by Professor Eric Mlyn on Democracy and Higher Education. Perhaps this could be a jumping off point for a public/private partnership on this issue?
The Center would focus on continuously monitoring and improving UNC’s governance system. It would provide training and continuing high-quality education for board members, including a clear understanding of their proper roles and responsibilities.
Ross said the center also could provide a database of qualified, committed people to serve on the Board of Governors and individual campuses’ boards of trustees.
Today’s Governance Problems
Ross said there is “increasing confusion between the Board of Governors and boards of trustees” over their roles and responsibilities. The commission recommended clarifying those.
No other state has as much legislative involvement in appointing university boards, they noted. That results in more political interference. Every other state provides for governors to appoint at least some board members.
Spellings said the commission was concerned by the increasing number of lobbyists on governing boards, because lobbyists have “a vested interest in the good will of the legislature.”
The commission recommended restoring gubernatorial appointments, expanding the sizes of boards, extending board members’ terms and increasing the transparency of board operations.
Both Ross and Spellings emphasized that boards of trustees shouldn’t be “micromanaging” university operations.
Ross said, “I heard more times than I can count that the university should be run like a business. If we look at business, I serve on a publicly traded company board as chair of their nomination and governance committee, and I assure you that it doesn’t happen that we’re telling the CEO who they can hire, and we’re not running the day-to-day business. That’s not our responsibility.”
How the University is Harmed
All three panelists expressed concern about the harm that governance problems are causing the university, making it harder to recruit and retain faculty and administration.
Thorp said turnover at the top – exemplified by the departure of all three of them – creates “chaos” and sacrifices stability and experience.
Spellings said political “shenanigans” keep UNC in the news and that “has implications nationally.” It “chills the talent pool.”
Leading a university “is a tough job on a good day,” she said, adding, “It is distressing when these jobs become a revolving door of talent. This constant chaos does not bode well for the University or for North Carolina.”
Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts
The three panelists each said they have talked with Roberts, offered him their support and are hopeful he will succeed.
Thorp recognized that in today’s world more university leaders may come from outside academia, as does Roberts. That is not necessarily bad, Thorp said, noting that Terry Sanford, former governor of North Carolina, was successful at Duke University.
Ross added that he himself did not come up through academia.
Roberts’ challenge, Spellings said, will be to “keep the meddling and micro-managing at bay.”
Ross said that the risk for leaders like Roberts is, “Will they be allowed to run the institution?”
The Prospect for Change
Ross and Spellings acknowledged that the current General Assembly, with a Republican super-majority, is unlikely to readily adopt the recommendations of a commission established by Democratic Governor Roy Cooper – even though the commission was bipartisan, and Ross is a Democrat and Spellings, a Republican.
“We’re not naïve,” Ross said.
But they praised Governor Cooper for the initiative. They expressed hope that the commission’s work will shape the future of the UNC system.
“We’re playing a long game here,” Spellings said. “Politics is fluid.”
Other Issues
During the Q&A session, the panel also discussed:
- Handling controversial political issues on campus, including free speech and the need for students and faculty to stay safe.
- How to keep students’ needs and interests at the forefront.
- Faculty compensation.
- Athletics issues. “There’s no solving this,” Spellings quipped.
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You can read the report of the Governor’s commission here.
Our Coalition’s Thoughts
One Coalition member put it simply afterward: “I was moved.”
We were impressed and heartened that three former UNC leaders, all of whom were forced to leave early under difficult circumstances, still love the University and North Carolina enough to join the webinar discussion, serve on the Governor’s Commission and keep working for positive change.
We are deeply and sincerely thankful to Ross, Spellings and Thorp for participating and for being open and candid in their discussions. We are grateful for the years of extraordinary service and leadership they all gave to the UNC System and to Carolina.
We were encouraged by the hundreds of people who registered and watched the webinar. They submitted many good questions, far more than could be addressed in an hour and a half.
Above all, we are hopeful for the future.
We have no illusions. Higher education – in North Carolina and across the nation – faces rough seas and harsh headwinds today.
Yet, from the founding of the nation’s first public university here in 1789 throughout our proud history, Carolina has weathered many storms.
If we all join together and work together, we can emerge on the other side of this storm better, stronger and even greater than before.
Tom Ross was president of the UNC System from 2011 to 2016.
Margaret Spelling was system president from 2016 to 2019.
Holden Thorp was chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill from 2008 to 2012.