UNC interim chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz announced a new senior leadership position for the university on Monday. He revealed the role of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Integrity and Risk Management and his selection of George Battle III for the job.

In a release, Guskiewicz described the role as being comprised of several important aspects for the university that were previously shared among multiple administrative areas. Battle will handle risk management, public safety, environmental safety, emergency management, policy management and ethics education. He will also take the lead in addressing threats to the university from outside entities, like improper influence by foreign governments.

“This position is critical to meeting important University needs and follows a year-long strategic analysis of risk management and campus safety functions,” Guskiewicz said. “My decision to appoint George to this role came with the support of my senior leadership team. I am confident that he has the right mix of skills and expertise to quickly succeed in making a positive impact at our University.”

Battle, a former attorney and UNC alumnus, returns to UNC after serving as the general counsel for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education for nine years. Prior to that, he provided legal counsel to Carolinas Heathcare System.

In a statement, Battle said he is thrilled to be returning to Carolina in a professional capacity.

“My experience as a student at UNC-Chapel Hill put me on a path to pursue law and public service,” he said, “and I look forward to serving the institution that has served me so well. I am eager to shape this new role, to connect much of the great work that is already being done across campus, and support the University’s mission of teaching, research and service.”

The creation of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Integrity and Risk Management title follows a tumultuous few years of on-campus incidents at UNC. Before and after the removal of the confederate statue Silent Sam, UNC Police have made numerous arrests on charges of inciting riots, destruction of property and assault. In the last month, two disturbing cases that occurred either on or close to campus unsettled students and led the university to increase patrols and its cooperation with Chapel Hill Police Department.

Battle will begin his new role in January 2020.

Related Stories
‹
Anti-Racist Activists Look to Continue Addressing UNC's Past
More than 100 people spent Tuesday night gathered to celebrate the removal of the Confederate statue Silent Sam and champion the rights of minorities, LGBT community members and activists. The rally, however, was not just to remember the actions of protesters a year ago when they pulled down Silent Sam. It was also to encourage […]
In a Tumultuous Period, Guskiewicz To Be Installed as UNC Chancellor
Kevin Guskiewicz will officially be installed on Sunday as the 12th chancellor of UNC, a formal ceremony to establish him in the position amid a tumultuous chapter for the university that’s continued since the resignation of his predecessor. Guskiewicz will be sworn into the chancellorship as part of a two-day celebration of University Day, which […]
Guskiewicz Launches New Commission to Address UNC's History with Race
UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz announced the official launch of a new commission to address and contextualize the university’s history regarding slavery and race relations. In a release Wednesday night, Guskiewicz revealed the members of the Commission on History, Race and A Way Forward. Made to build upon the findings and feedback generated from former chancellor […]
Guskiewicz Promises Change, Transparency At Introductory Press Conference
UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz stood on a stage with a Carolina blue backdrop and university leadership all around him for his introductory press conference. With university Board of Trustee members, UNC System members and students around him, he made promises to lead the university forward into a new era as education and research continue to […]
UNC Names Kevin Guskiewicz as Permanent Chancellor
After a months-long search, the UNC System named Kevin Guskiewicz the chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Friday. Guskiewicz, who had served as UNC’s interim chancellor since February, was unanimously approved by the UNC System Board of Governors after being recommended by the system’s Interim President Bill Roper. He previously […]
UNC Interim Chancellor Guskiewicz Sends Letter to UNC System, Voices Concerns over Silent Sam Settlement
After a more than a week of protests by the campus community against the UNC System’s decision to settle a lawsuit with a pro-Confederate group, UNC Interim Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz sent a letter to the system’s leadership outlining concerns over the decision. Guskiewicz, who shared the letter in a message to the campus community on […]
Community Members Question UNC Police Motives Following Review
In the wake of an external report reviewing UNC Police’s handling of arrests during protests after the toppling of Silent Sam on campus, student and community activists spoke out against the report’s conclusions on Wednesday. They said while it addresses missteps of the campus police force, it does not hold them accountable enough. UNC undergraduate […]
UNC School of Pharmacy's New Dean Begins Tenure
UNC’s Eshelman School of Pharmacy held a celebration on Tuesday to welcome its new dean to her job, as Angela Kashuba became the school’s eleventh dean. Kashuba was selected in May to take over as leader of the top pharmacy school in the nation. The permanent role had been vacant since Bob Blouin was hired as […]
UNC Alumnus Named New University General Counsel
UNC announced their selection for their next vice chancellor and general counsel on August 15. Interim Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz wrote in a press release the university has chosen Raleigh-based lawyer Charles Marshall to serve in the position, which often provides legal advice and counsel to UNC’s Board of Trustees, chancellor, administration and faculty on school […]
Police: UNC Student Victim of Carjacking in W. Franklin Street Parking Deck
Chapel Hill Police are investigating the carjacking of a UNC student that took place early Saturday morning. No injuries are reported.
›