CHAPEL HILL – UNC Chancellor Carol Folt hired UNC alumnus David Routh this September to fill the University’s role of Vice Chancellor for Development. In a WCHL News Special with Jim Heavner, she said the former holder of that position, Matt Kupec, and his personality had nothing to do with the new hire.

“David Routh is—in many respects in terms of his personality—the anit-Matt Kupec,” Heaver said. “Matt was big, effusive, bold, and a former football player, a big sort of inspirational speaker. David Routh operates on a quieter plane.”

“Honestly, I’ve never met Matt,” Chancellor Folt said. “I really was looking for the person that could really be right for this position right now and could help take us forward.”

***Listen to Part I of WCHL’s News Special with the Chancellor***

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Matt Kupec resigned from UNC in September 2012 after it was discovered that he and another employee, Tami Hansborough, misused university funds for personal trips.

The Chancellor has nearly filled her executive staff and is scheduled to announce the newest hire of the Vice Chancellor for Communications and Public Affairs on Monday.

Chancellor Folt said the number one priority for that position is crisis management.

“Every public relations person I knew believed that Chancellor Thorp, for example, should never have conducted a televised press conference to announce the firing of Butch Davis,” Heavner said. “Is that the sort of thing that you want your person to be tuned into?”

“Absolutely,” Chancellor Folt said. “The reason I try to keep this distinction is that I do think you have to deal with crisis management. But, you’re also dealing, as I say, with this content and this positive presentation of the work that happens here. I think you get in a problem if you think your public affair is only about crisis management, too. That would be a very narrow focus.”

Tune in to the WCHL Morning and Afternoon and Evening News to hear the interview with Chancellor Folt in four parts Monday through Thursday this week.

To read the other articles in this WCHL News Special series with the Chancellor, navigate below.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4