UNC System Reveals Position Profile for Candidates in Presidential Search

The UNC System revealed its next step in the search for a permanent president on Thursday by revealing its position profile for candidates.

The system’s presidential search committee released its description of candidate qualities its searching for and how applicants can submit responses. Describing the qualities as an overall ‘portrait’ of an ideal candidate, the qualifications include integrity, transcendent leadership, collaboration and appreciation of diversity.

Co-chairs of the search committee Randy Ramsey and Wendy Murphy released a statement with the announcement, saying the beginning of candidate recruitment is a significant move forward in the process.

“What we have sought and, we believe, have achieved so far is an open, transparent and collaborative search to help identify the best person to lead the UNC System,” Ramsey and Murphy wrote. “The intensive work to gather public input highlights how this committee views the search for the next President as a statewide collaborative process.”

The university system is search for its next president following Margaret Spelling’s resignation in January 2019. Interim system president Bill Roper has been serving in the role since. The presidential search committee selected Kim Strach as its director in August after being created in June.

In the release of the position profile, the search committee said outside input from many in the UNC community contributed to the final characteristics. It said it received more than 8,000 responses to surveys of stakeholders and held 17 listening sessions for community members across the state to provide their perspectives in how they wish a new president would represent their needs.

“It was the totality of this feedback that provided the Search Committee with the perspectives of a diverse group of stakeholders that represent the diversity of our great State,” the document reads. “Our stakeholders need and deserve strong leadership where desires and concerns are not merely heard but are indeed acted upon and addressed.”

For more information on the UNC System’s presidential search, including how to apply, visit its website.