UNC School of Government Aims to Prove Worth to New Board of Governors Leadership

There have been ripple effects emanating through the UNC campus following news that Tom Ross would be transitioning out of his role as President of the University System over the next year.

One UNC branch of note in this discussion is the School of Government. Tom Ross held a position as a member of the faculty, at the then-named Institute of Government, after graduating from the UNC School of Law in 1975. And Ross has been a proponent of the school during his time guiding the university system.

Tom Thornburg, Senior Associate Dean of the School of Government, says what they bring to the table is unique from the rest of UNC.

“We provide training for officials,” he says. “For example, when there are new mayors, we invite them to school and do training there.”

Beyond the on-campus training, the School of Government offers ongoing advising to newly-elected officials as they come upon new experiences. And the school conducts research intended to help those officials better serve their communities.

In addition to working with elected officials, Thornburg says the school also offers a graduate-level program.

“We do work with graduate students. We have a program for Master of Public Administration students,” he says. “That program is here, in part, because many of those people will graduate and then go work in government.”

But the School of Government does not offer any undergraduate programs. With new leadership coming to the Board of Governors, it is possible that undergraduate programs may be in line for more funding than graduate-level work.

Thornburg says, because the school’s work does not line up with traditional classes on campus, it has always been a priority to prove the school’s worth when budget cuts are discussed.

“An important job for us, always, is showing officials [at UNC and with the University System] the work we do, helping them understand how it’s different from other parts of the university, and helping them understand that it’s important to the university,” he says. “We don’t expect that piece to change with what’s going on with the Presidency.”

President Ross will be heading the University System until January 3, 2016, or until a successor is found, whichever is later.

Following his tenure, Ross will have a year of paid research, according to his contract, before having a permanently-tenured professorship at the UNC School of Government.

Thornburg says they would be thrilled to have President Ross back on their roster.

“I expect someone like President Ross will have other opportunities,” he says. “But we would certainly welcome him back to our faculty.”

Thornburg adds the School of Government reaches 10,000 – 15,000 elected officials with the training they offer.