UNC – Chapel Hill is in the final days of Chancellor Carol Folt’s tenure leading the university and the search is on for an interim replacement.
Folt made the surprising announcement two weeks ago that she would be resigning at the end of the academic year, which was subsequently moved up to the end of the month by the UNC System Board of Governors. Folt coupled that notice by saying that she had ordered the remaining pedestal of the Confederate monument on the Chapel Hill campus known as Silent Sam be removed.
The base had been a point of contention and contemplation since last August when protesters tore down the statue that had stood atop the pedestal on the campus for more than 100 years.
Interim UNC System President Dr. Bill Roper is leading the search for Folt’s interim replacement. Roper said at the Board of Governors meeting on Friday, the first where he was serving as president, that steadiness was needed for the system to succeed.
“There are a number of people in North Carolina who care about higher education, and we are very strong because of that,” Roper said. “But we must have calm and stability, regular order and process, so that we can all keep our eye on our students, our classrooms, our labs, our hospitals, our communities.”
Roper commended the job Folt had done leading UNC – Chapel Hill.
“Carol Folt is a friend and an outstanding leader of an outstanding flagship who has stewarded and guided her university through treacherous waters.”
But his attention is now fully on finding the right person to serve as the interim chancellor, Roper said. That individual must be a “well-known entity” in North Carolina, Roper said, who is ready to start on day one. Roper later estimated that the interim chancellor could be in place for up to 18 months, although he said the hope would be for a much shorter tenure.
Despite all of the tension in recent months involving the Confederate statue and pressures from the Board of Governors, Roper said he was confident in the institution of UNC – Chapel Hill continuing to progress.
“It is a very strong institution, and we are going to weather this just well,” he said. “And I look forward to being a part of the interim decision and there will be a search process for a strong leader to be the permanent chancellor.”
Board of Governors chair Harry Smith said the board did not feel the need to find a permanent system president to lead that search for a permanent chancellor, instead saying the board fully supported Roper.
“We have total faith and trust in Bill Roper’s ability to manage that process,” Smith said.
Meanwhile, Roper is continuing to negotiate exit terms with Folt, whose final day leading the university is scheduled for January 31. The campus Board of Trustees are set for a regularly scheduled meeting that same day.
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