One week after Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz was formally approved as the next president at Michigan State University, UNC has learned its own next leader.
The UNC System announced the choice of Lee H. Roberts, a founder of a Raleigh private investment firm and sitting member of the system’s Board of Governors, to be the interim UNC-Chapel Hill chancellor. The Chronicle of Higher Education’s David Jesse first reported the selection, after having written on December 1 that Roberts was the planned pick following Guskiewicz’s departure.
“Public higher education is one of North Carolina’s greatest strengths, and I’m honored to play a role in serving the nation’s first and finest public university,” Roberts said in the UNC System’s release. “Chancellor Guskiewicz and his team have done extraordinary work, and I’m excited to continue supporting the dedicated scholars, staff, and students at Carolina.”
Finance executive Lee H. Roberts has been appointed #UNC's interim chancellor by @UNC_System President Peter Hans.
Learn how Roberts' motivation to serve in the role comes from a family tradition of public service and a deep commitment to our state https://t.co/l8RhEDeg05
— UNC-Chapel Hill (@UNC) December 15, 2023
UNC System President Peter Hans had several weeks to prepare an interim choice, as it was first reported in mid-November that Guskiewicz was the lone remaining finalist for the position as Michigan State. Guskiewicz — who had served on the UNC faculty for more than two decades — served as the interim chancellor in early 2019 after Carol Folt’s resignation from the role before later being named the permanent choice in December 2019. His academic background is in neuroscience, as he co-directed the Matthew Gfeller Center Sport-Related TBI Research Center and held a distinguished professorship.
Roberts’ background is in finance — having served on North Carolina’s Banking Commission from 2012 to 2014 and then as the state’s budget director from 2014 to 2016 under Gov. Pat McCrory. He started his career at Morgan Stanley, primarily working in real estate investment banking and eventually became the managing director at Piedmont Community Bank Holdings. He began furthering ties with the UNC System after joining a task force to review the system’s funding from 2017 to 2018. Currently, he’s the managing partner of SharpVue Capital in Raleigh, a private investment firm which he founded.
Roberts did not attend a university system school, instead earning his bachelor’s degree in political science from Duke University in 1990 and his juris doctor from Georgetown University in 1994. According to the UNC System page, he teaches a graduate-level course in public budgeting at Duke.
“Lee Roberts is a patient leader, a generous listener, and someone raised with the values of public service,” Hans said on Friday. “He knows how to find common ground on challenging issues, and he brings out the best in everyone around him. He’s deeply committed to the university, and I’m excited to work alongside him in supporting the great work happening at Carolina.”
“I appreciate the time and effort that President Hans put into his selection of the interim Chancellor,” said UNC Board of Trustees Chair John Preyer. “I welcome Lee Roberts to the greatest public university in the world and to the very best shade of blue. Let’s all get to work for Carolina!”
Roberts will be required to resign his role on the UNC System Board of Governors in order to serve in the interim chancellor role. He will start in the position on January 12, which is Guskiewicz’s final day. The outgoing chancellor said he will collaborate with Roberts during the coming weeks.
“I know that Lee is committed to the state of North Carolina and the important role of public higher education,” Guskiewicz said in the UNC System’s release. “I look forward to working with him during our transition. He will build on the incredible work underway by our world-class faculty, dedicated staff, curious students and passionate alumni.”
In a release shared by UNC-Chapel Hill later on Friday morning, Roberts detailed four goals he says he’s aiming for while assuming the interim position.
“First, do no harm, as it says in the Hippocratic oath,” he said. “Second, ensure a smooth transition. Third, make sure students and faculty and staff have what they need. And fourth, leave the place a little bit better than how you found it.”
“It’s a nonpartisan job,” Roberts added. “I plan to do it in a nonpartisan way. To be effective in this role, you need to be able to work with Republicans and Democrats and independents and everybody else. That’s what I’ve done in my past roles.”
Hans said a nationwide search for the permanent UNC chancellor role will be launched in 2024, saying in Friday’s message that there will be “active participation from faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader community.” Ultimately, the system president and Preyer will work to appoint a search advisory committee of 13 voting members that is required to include representatives from UNC’s Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, alumni, a sitting or retired UNC System chancellor and the UNC System itself. After its search, the group will submit three options to Hans, who will take his individual choice to the UNC System Board of Governors for approval. The UNC System chancellor search policy can be found here.
Photo via the UNC System.
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In the words of John McEnroe.. “You cannot be serious.”
No UNC Chancellor should have gone to dook.
Period.
Unbelievable.
Glad to take those 2nd row Chancellor’s seats in the Dean Dome off his hands. Obviously, he’d rather watch the games over at Cameron.