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University faculty, staff and students gathered at the Carolina Inn Aug. 26 to
tell a search committee just which qualities they think the University's next
chancellor should have.
As expected, the turnout was as diverse as the University community itself,
said Richard Y. Stevens, a Carolina trustee and chair of the search committee
made up of students, alumni, faculty, staff and trustees.
And the issues ranged from faculty worries over salaries and canceled classes
to whether the new chancellor ought to have some ties to the University.
"I was impressed by the input from all the speakers. They all seemed
concerned, articulate, caring," Stevens said.
Everyone agreed the new chancellor must be accessible, a quality that many --
particularly students -- admired in the late Michael Hooker. But the other
criteria seem more elusive.
Some suggested that the faculty's networking abilities among their peers at
other universities will be key in finding the best candidates.
"My impression is that the best candidates don't run, but have to be ferreted
out," said Edward Samulski, a professor in the chemistry department.
The new chancellor must understand Carolina's needs not just as an educational
institution but also as a center for research, something that sets it apart
from most other schools in the state university system.
And one issue is how the new chancellor will maintain the University's goals
while grappling with a scarcity of funds.
"I keep hearing about department chairs being asked, `Why are there not more
students in these classes?' and asked to explain why they're being offered,"
said Catharine Newbury, director of undergraduate studies.
"To me that's a travesty. This is not an education -- this is counting
numbers," she said.
Scholarly attitude
Another monetary issue of concern at the University is faculty
salaries. Carolina ranks the lowest among U.S. News & World Report's latest
top five public universities in faculty salaries and benefits.
Carolina also risks losing good staff because of low salaries, a problem the
incoming chancellor must be aware of, said Linwood Futrelle, former Employee
Forum chair.
Although the next chancellor must be aware of private industry's ability to
steal the best minds, how much of a business background he or she should have
was a subject of some debate.
Some faculty members were concerned that a chancellor with a private business
mentality might harm the University's collegial, scholarly environment.
"Most of us would like a chancellor who's come up through the academic ranks,
so he'll appreciate the life of the mind we live," said Jane Brown, professor
in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Committee members, however, noted that having the ability to oversee the
University's business affairs and also understand the importance of an academic
atmosphere are not mutually exclusive.
Confidentiality for now
Another quality the new chancellor must possess is a certain
political acumen, given the University's recent funding disappointments in the
state legislature, said Stanley Black, a professor in the economics
department.
"I think we have to recognize that this next chancellor at this institution is
going to be working in a fairly complicated political environment," Black
said.
Although members of the community want to make sure everyone on the list of
candidates embodies their idea of a future chancellor, that list will have to
remain secret for a while, Stevens said.
Members of the North Carolina Press Association -- many of them Carolina
graduates -- pleaded for more openness in the search process. But those names
will not be made public for a few months.
"We hope to have the search narrowed by Christmas," Stevens said. "But for
now, it has to remain confidential."
The search committee will meet again
Sept. 24 meet to hear suggestions from alumni and others outside the University
community. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the Carolina Inn.
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