EDITOR’S NOTE: Last week, a group of North Carolina business, civic, philanthropic and education leaders posted an open letter to those who govern the University of North Carolina System seeking reform of University governance. We reprint their letter here.
To those who govern the University of North Carolina:
The University of North Carolina is at a crossroads and its future is at stake.
The UNC System Board of Governors must refrain from meddling and micromanaging. It must let our leaders lead, our professors teach, and our students learn — for the good of the State of North Carolina.
The governance of our university system needs serious reform. We need less political influence and more civic responsibility.
We need a balanced and independent Board of Governors designed to outlast political transitions and comprised of members who have only one interest at heart: the success of our entire university system.
We must return to the standards of good governance that created the foundation for excellence at UNC, with appointments to the Board of Governors and campus boards of trustees shared by the Governor and the General Assembly and chosen from honorable, respected citizens.
UNC is our state’s greatest asset. It is our most crucial economic engine. We cannot afford to let politics undermine the future of higher education in North Carolina.
We are business leaders. We are community leaders. We have served as members of UNC campus boards of trustees across the entire state. We are faculty. We are alumni. We are students.
And we are voters.
The University of North Carolina is a treasure. It must be treated as such for the continuing benefit of every North Carolinian.
Notable supporters
Jim Babb
Blanche Bacon
Dick Baddour
Jim Barber
Wade Barber
E. William Bates II
Phillip Berney
Dr. Robert Bilbro
Holly Blanton
Sam Bowles
Bill Bradford
David Brody
Ken Broun
Angela Bryant
Timothy Brooks Burnett
John Buress
Thomas Capps
Philip Carson
Dean Castaldo Jr.
Phillip Clay
Charles Conner Jr.
Martha Copp
Keith O. Cowan
Donald Craven
Vicki Craver
Susan Culp
Rusty Cumpston
Donald Williams “Don” Curtis
Jeff Dangl
Frank A. Daniels Jr.
Jen Daum
Scott Davison
Mary Ann Dickson
Robin Donohoe
Pepper Dowd
William Dudley
John Ellison
Fred Eshelman
Robert Eubanks
Jen Evans
Jack Evans
Jim Fain
Ray Farris
Joyce Fitzpatrick
Druscilla French
Molly Froelich
J. Alston Gardner
Bonner Gaylord
Buck Goldstein
Brian Golson
Barbara Goodmon
Jim Goodmon
Peter Grauer
Wade Hampton Hargrave Jr.
Johnny Harris
Bryan Hassel
Jack Hawn
Matthew Heyd
Fred Hutchinson
Barbara Rosser Hyde
Jim Hynes
Bob Ingram
George Johnson
Alexander Julian
Jane Kearns
Tom Kearns
Betty P. Kenan
Thomas S. Kenan III
Michael Kennedy
Jean Roberts Kitchen
Sallie Krawcheck
H. Martin Lancaster
Thomas Willis Lambeth
Kel Landis
Barb Lee
Steven Jay Lerner
Hal Levinson
Karol V. Mason
William O. McCoy
John McKinnon
Hogan Medlin
James Moeser
Kevin Monroe
Eric Munson
Aaron M. Nelson
Tom Newby
Scott F. Norberg
Bradley Opere
Willard Overlock, Jr.
Josie Patton
Becky Pardue
David Pardue
Linda Perry
Roger Lee Perry Sr.
Earl Norfleet “Phil” Phillips Jr.
Edward Pleasants
Walker Poole
John A. Powell
Samuel Reeves
Michael Rierson
Alexander Robertson
Wyndham Robertson
Art Ross
Aziz Sancar
Dr. Charles A. Sanders
Aziz Sancar
Nelson Schwab III
Ed Shelton
Sallie M. Shuping-Russell
Matt Soule
Wade Smith
A. Donald Stallings
Joe Stallings
William N. Starling, Jr.
Austin Stephens
Jack Stephens
James Tanner Jr.
George Teague
John Leroy Townsend III
Robert M. Travis
Ruel Tyson
Michael P. Vandenbergh
Richard Vinroot
Terry Patrick Walton
William Walton
Julie McManus Werry
John Wester
Richard Tyrone “Stick” Williams
Caroline Williamson
Allen Wilson
Robert Watson “Bob” Winston III
Willis “Bill” Whichard
Annette Fairless Wood
Leonard Wood
Smedes York
Our supporters include many of our state’s most prominent business, civic, philanthropic, and university leaders. They have served in leadership positions at the local, state and national levels, devoting their time, talent and resources to strengthening our communities and supporting our state’s public universities.
The list includes people who know our universities well — former trustees and BoG members, former student body presidents and faculty leaders. There is not enough space to list them all here, but this represents a small sampling of the leaders who recognize the need to reform governance of our state’s university system.
Adam Abram
Jim Babb
Blanche Bacon
Dick Baddour
Jim Barber
Wade Barber
E. William Bates II
Phillip Berney
Dr. Robert Bilbro
Holly Blanton
Sam Bowles
Bill Bradford
David Brody
Ken Broun
Angela Bryant
Timothy Brooks Burnett
John Buress
Thomas Capps
Philip Carson
Dean Castaldo Jr.
Phillip Clay
Charles Conner Jr.
Martha Copp
Keith O. Cowan
Donald Craven
Vicki Craver
Susan Culp
Rusty Cumpston
Donald Williams “Don” Curtis
Jeff Dangl
Frank A. Daniels Jr.
Jen Daum
Scott Davison
Mary Ann Dickson
Robin Donohoe
Pepper Dowd
William Dudley
John Ellison
Fred Eshelman
Robert Eubanks
Jen Evans
Jack Evans
Jim Fain
Ray Farris
Joyce Fitzpatrick
Druscilla French
Molly Froelich
Paul Fulton
J. Alston Gardner
Bonner Gaylord
Buck Goldstein
Brian Golson
Barbara Goodmon
Jim Goodmon
Peter Grauer
Wade Hampton Hargrave Jr.
Johnny Harris
Bryan Hassel
Jack Hawn
Matthew Heyd
Fred Hutchinson
Barbara Rosser Hyde
Jim Hynes
Bob Ingram
George Johnson
Alexander Julian
Jane Kearns
Tom Kearns
Betty P. Kenan
Thomas S. Kenan III
Michael Kennedy
Jean Roberts Kitchen
Sallie Krawcheck
H. Martin Lancaster
Thomas Willis Lambeth
Kel Landis
Barb Lee
Steven Jay Lerner
Hal Levinson
Karol V. Mason
William O. McCoy
John McKinnon
Hogan Medlin
James Moeser
Kevin Monroe
Eric Munson
Aaron M. Nelson
Tom Newby
Scott F. Norberg
Bradley Opere
Willard Overlock, Jr.
Josie Patton
Becky Pardue
David Pardue
Ray Peck
Linda Perry
Roger Lee Perry Sr.
Earl Norfleet “Phil” Phillips Jr.
Edward Pleasants
Walker Poole
John A. Powell
Samuel Reeves
Michael Rierson
Alexander Robertson
Wyndham Robertson
Art Ross
Aziz Sancar
Dr. Charles A. Sanders
Nelson Schwab III
Ed Shelton
Sallie M. Shuping-Russell
Matt Soule
Wade Smith
A. Donald Stallings
Joe Stallings
William N. Starling, Jr.
Austin Stephens
Jack Stephens
James Tanner Jr.
George Teague
John Leroy Townsend III
Robert M. Travis
Ruel Tyson
Michael P. Vandenbergh
Richard Vinroot
Terry Patrick Walton
William Walton
Julie McManus Werry
John Wester
Richard Tyrone “Stick” Williams
Caroline Williamson
Allen Wilson
Robert Watson “Bob” Winston III
Willis “Bill” Whichard
Annette Fairless Wood
Leonard Wood
Smedes York
Mark Carpenter says
I do not disagree with the published letter but the University and its leadership also need to insure that all voices and perspectives have equal access and opportunity on all campuses. Unfortunately that is not true today. Leadership needs to have an open, honest and frank discussion about teaching methods with the University’s professors and help them get back to helping students learn both sides of an argument or position (in a non-hostile environment) and not just the side with which they agree. The University is doing the students and our state a serious disservice if it does not do so. It has been a leader in so many ways and this is another opportunity for it to lead the way.
Mark G. Rodin says
Thanks so much for making this effort. As a Carolina alum and benefactor of two academic scholarships (The Benjamin & Mark G. Rodin undergraduate scholarship in the College of Arts & Sciences and the Benjamin Rodin graduate Scholarship in the Gillings School of Global Public Health) I am tired of the retaliatory actions of the current highly partisan Board of Governors members. I especially am concerned about Chairman Harry Smith’s active meddling as well as Tom Fetzer’s attempts to become Chancellor at Western Carolina (where my younger granddaughter is a freshman). Let’s also call out Tom Goolsby.
Having served as a reporter covering government and politics for small daily papers between 1972 and 1980 I appreciate your efforts to publicize and alert our state’s residents to the dangers presented by the current majority in the General Assembly and their hand chosen representatives on the BOG.
Charles Coble says
Amen to this statement and many thanks to these great state leaders for speaking up for our great state university system!
Charles Coble, former dean , ECU School of Education and former Vice President of University-School Programs, UNC General Administration
Skip Crayton says
Is this just UNC-Ch, or is it the whole system, from Western Carolina to UNC-Wilmington?
Higher Education Works says
The whole system actually.
Michael Mayberry says
You’ve got my attention about governance, but what does reform look like? I have many concerns,
DK Mc says
It is unfortunate the education industry feels so compelled to teach politics; whether directly or indirectly. There was a day where education was taught: reading, writing and arithmetic. I pulled my son out of the public education to teach at home. He excelled and was a Naval Academy candidate; he chose to not travel that path. He went on to a NC Community College where his political views were drastically changed. And I thought he was there to get a start on his mechanical engineering career. He was on the President’s List and Dean’s List, however now I don’t feel it means that much with the way colleges are having to dummy down their standards to meet up with what is happening in public schools. I personally don’t see anything changing, especially when the far left is who is running and teaching the colleges. Do you really think they can leave their political opinions and sexual preferences out of the education system?
Dwight Harless says
There is no place in this state that is as liberal as the school campus you speak of it’s this way or no way as the campus see’s it
Robert Pinschmidt says
University administration is doing its educational job when it allows students maximum freedom, within reason, to explore ethics, morals, and politics in their individual quests to become not just subject masters, but mature and thoughtful adults and citizens. Giving students that latitude is not the same as agreeing with their politics, just good pedagogy.
Ed Samulski says
I agree whole heartedly. The recent dismissals at the highest levels of UNC are not only a serious threat to the oldest public university and the University System but to the State and its ability to attract sustainable employers. The Amazons, Apples, and Googles of the world, even if offered enormous tax breaks, will balk at the slightest appearance of sectarian governance of our our state’s greatest asset.
Vernon E. Cronen says
I have been on the faculty of UNCW for 7 1/2 years and before that on the faculty of U of Mass. for 40 years. Higher education is very important to me. When a statement of this kind is issued by a very prominent group of concerned citizens there must have been some recent important event or events that precipitated it. Clearly, polarization of academic policy is involved, but exactly how? What are the immediate and long term contexts for this? What is the hoped for future that is threatened? What needs to change to make that future possible?
Don Stedman says
The most important current issue on the future of our state.
Mark Marcoplos says
We need UNC-CH to focus on its historic mission of education and not be used as a political lever.
George Dewitt Armstrong says
Not sure of the exact BoG offense they are opposed to but I strongly support ousting Liberal agenda Chancellors who support breaking the law FOR ANY POLITICAL REASON… I support ousting any student or teacher who participates in illegal on-campus activities regardless of the level of their being OFFENDED by ANYTHING. UNC is supposed to be teaching tolerance not supporting hatred and cannot change the history of our nation thru a Liberal agenda… UNC has a choice to teach right from wrong, tolerance from intolerance, the whole picture of history, and should be better stewards of the young mind they seek to influence. As a NC taxpayer I would discipline most of the SUPERIOR INTELLECTS in place today.. So BoG have at it..
Buddy Hall says
I agree. By sanitizing history, we fail to learn from our mistakes or to even know that we have made them.
Robert Milnes says
Thank you so much. as a former dean at a public university, I find the current rash of governing board intrusions into the State’s higher education governance heart breaking. I remember North Carolina as a beacon of progress and educational excellence. It has to return to more rational governance.
Thomas Mates, PhD says
I agree 100% with the statement. I am a former faculty member in the Medical School and received my PhD from UNC-CH. I have been embarrassed and upset by the political manipulation of the faculty and administration. My deceased father in law, a former Dean of Research and faculty member is turning in his grave. It has become a disgrace. Please push this agenda hard.
Sincerely, Thomas Mates PhD
Brenda Mitchell says
I agree wholeheartedly with this featured article. Thanks to everyone who contributed to writing and sharing it.
Ro Mason, UNC grad says
I agree with the letter. The letter fails to mention that the current GOP gerrymandered legislature also steals from students and faculties to overpay the administrators. The university is an effective mechanism to siphon money needed for education off into the pockets of corrupt politicians who are given political appointments.
Shirley Browning Professor Emeriti Economics UNC Asheville says
i served as a professor in the UNC system for 42 years. I am saddened by the raw political influence on the system. It is counter productive, counter education, counter the core values that made the UNC system the envy of similar systems across the country.
I have no solution beyond the ballot box when electing people to serve in the state legislature. The obvious ill informed approach to board leadership[ is very painful to watch and read about.
Yes UNC is at a cross roads. Even more important the entire State is at a critical cross road. Will UNC regain its national and world leadership among the best educational institutions in existence, or will it become a third rate political lobby trying to influence generations of young people about what to think, believe and how to live their lives.
In short will it foster true human freedom, or reduce that freedom.
DM says
I made it as a professor in the NC system for 14 years, but last month I just accepted a job at another university outside of the state. I love this state, but working within it—especially these past 3-5 years—has been hell. The overreach by the NCGA, and frankly, horrendous administrative decisions made at my current university (UNCC) has driven my talents to another state. Good luck in your fight.
David Kiel says
A strong higher education system centered in the state’s universities and colleges is key to the economic development of our state and gives NC a competitive edge. Faculty at institutions of higher education also help us address issues relating to agriculture, arts business, cultural and historical resources, community development, education, environment, humanities, government, all facets of dentistry and health, law, journalism and media,medicine and nursing,pharmaceuticals planning, policing,public safety, science and technology. They also are critical for educating citizens to be informed and active participants in our democracy.
A strong and enduring alliance between the business community, the state’s professionals and the educcation community around assuring the autonomy of the university and the adequate resourcing of the education effort is key to protecting these important institutions and letting them do their vital work
We should not let legislatures play politics with our Universities and Community Colleges and we should restore and reinforce the institutional arrangements, public policies, leadership practices, and norms of behavior required to protect them from such damaging interference.
Terry Sullivan says
Education in general (and higher education in specific) represents one of three critical economic forces driving prosperity. Since “social values” and “political consistency” are not the other two, applying them to education (however tempting and seemingly satisfying) has always failed to produce what people want from education – a sophisticated and talented workforce, a leading entrepreneurial class, and a competent government. Instead, it has simply brought heartbreak, false satisfaction, and utter disaster. This report is not the product of a left-wing conspiracy but a plea from a broad swath of leaders for keeping politicians out of our economy through whatever backdoor they think is an easy way in. I was an award winning professor for 30 years in the UNC system and it is not a bastion of liberal crazies any more than business is. Instead, it is full of our fellow citizens, holding their own political views (not typically socialistic by the way) and whatever those vies, these rarely drive their research or their teaching. Instead, they are almost exclusively commit their research and teaching of finding and disseminating the truth about their focused interests. Mine were in how political leaders work and though I am one of those crazy liberals, my research and my commitment led me to work with the White Houses of George W. Bush, Barrack Obama, AND Donald Trump. Knowledge is useful no matter what. It is literally the hand that rocks the cradle (and so rules the world) and left alone almost always does so in a good way. Political meddling, however momentarily satisfying or invigorating, never makes things better. The arch of prosperity just points in the opposite direction.