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My first month as chancellor, coinciding with the opening of fall semester, has
given me an excellent opportunity to observe this great University, and I'm
extremely proud of what I've seen.
As chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a former provost of the
University of South Carolina, I was well aware of UNC-Chapel Hill's excellent
national reputation. The first public university to open its doors. One of the
nation's top public institutions. A brilliant faculty. Cutting-edge
researchers. The brightest students. An outstanding staff. A devoted alumni
body. Indeed, Carolina was a university that we looked to as a model for what
public higher education should be.
Since arriving in South Building last month, I've worked to get up to speed on
the capital facilities bond referendum and our administrative searches; I've
learned the lay of the land and the major issues facing Carolina; and I've met
eager new freshmen and literally hundreds of other members of our campus
community. As I became more familiar with the University, I realized that the
Carolina I was so quickly becoming part of far surpassed my expectations.
In particular, I recognized something special about the Carolina spirit that
sets the University apart from its peers and from the many other public
institutions I've had the pleasure of being associated with during my career.
There's an almost spiritual phenomenon that connects people to this University,
a feeling so strong you can almost touch it. Nothing I read as I did my
homework on Carolina prepared me for the unrelenting dedication and fierce
loyalty people feel toward this place and the sense of pride it engenders among
students, faculty, staff and alumni.
I saw the Carolina spirit as I helped residence hall staff lug suitcases and
furniture up countless flights of stairs when our students returned to campus.
It was there as I watched our grounds crews meticulously manicure our campus to
make sure we put our best foot forward for our many back-to-school visitors. I
experienced the feeling when I led a summer reading discussion session and
recognized the outstanding caliber of young people who enroll here. I watched
the Carolina spirit spread like wildfire among students at Freshman Camp as
they developed a special love for this University and a bond with each another.
It could be felt as our computer professionals showed freshmen how to use their
laptop computers to access new worlds of knowledge. And I witnessed the
Carolina spirit and an accompanying sense of commitment as I met with faculty
and staff and saw their enormous contributions and achievements despite the
failing quality of much of the campus infrastructure. Over and over, day in and
day out, I've felt the Carolina spirit and seen how it makes this a great
university.
Add to that mix the unparalleled atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation present
at Carolina, and we have an unfailing recipe to become the very best. That's
not a new ideal, but it's one I heartily embrace. The late Chancellor Michael
Hooker often espoused the goal of Carolina becoming the best public university
in the nation, and when I arrived in Chapel Hill, I found a campus already
deeply committed to that dream. It's a goal we will continue to work toward
together and, with the Carolina spirit behind us, one I'm confident is within
our grasp.
I'm delighted to be with you here and look forward to the journey ahead of
us.
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