On Wednesday, Governor Roy Cooper announced the sites for a series of public forums dedicated to the governance of public universities. The series includes six forums between February and April, with the last coming on the campus of Durham Tech on April 11.

The goal of the forums is to “seek ideas and suggestions on how to enhance and refresh the governance structure of our public universities,” according to a release from the governor’s office.

“North Carolina’s public universities are the best in the country,” Cooper said, “but we know their leadership does not reflect the demographic and political diversity of our state. These forums will provide a critical opportunity for the voices of the people to be heard about how we can improve higher education for generations to come.”

The forums are hosted by a bipartisan commission, created by Cooper last fall, which is evaluating the current governance structure of the UNC System. The commission will also make recommendations on a number of fronts, including who should appoint members of the Boards of Governors and Trustees and how to ensure those boards reflect the diversity of the state.

According to the governor’s office, those interested in attending and speaking at one of the forums is encouraged to contact Minda Watkins at least two days before the forum date. No one is guaranteed an opportunity to speak to the commission, but the release said priority will be given to those who are signed up. Speakers will be given 2-3 minutes to share verbal comments, while all attendants are encouraged to bring written comments to submit.

More information about the forums, including other locations, can be found here.

 

Featured image via Durham Tech

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