UNC Systems Elects New Leadership

Lou Bissette has served as the chair of the UNC System Board of Governors since the resignation of former chair John Fennebresque from the board in October 2015.

But Thursday marked Bissette’s final meeting as chair. The board on Thursday elected current vice chair Harry Smith to replace Bissette.

Bissette said he was proud that during his time as chair Margaret Spellings has gotten two years under her belt as president of the system.

“When she first came, it was not quite smooth sailing as I recall,” Bissett said. “But I think everybody in the system knows her and appreciates her. And, so, her presidency and her success – I’m very proud to have been a part of that.”

Spellings’ hire came just days before Fennebresque resigned, leaving Bissette to lead the board with a new president and mounting protest over Spellings’ selection to the role.

“When John Fennebresque left, it was a pretty crazy place around here,” Bissette said. “And I do feel like I’ve been able to contribute a little bit to the stability of the Board of Governors over that period of time.”

Bissette said the work, led by Spellings, to implement a systemwide strategic plan was a major accomplishment during his tenure.

“I’ve never been a big promoter of strategic plans,” Bissette said. “But this one is pretty special, and I think it’s working.

“And I think it can really work for our university over the years.”

Spellings joined the board in touting Bissette’s leadership during a time of great transition.

“It’s just been a real treat to work with a pro like Lou Bissette who has given so much public service to this state over his career,” Spellings said.

Bissette’s time as chair has not been without hurdles. Board member Bob Rucho publicly challenged the chair in January over an op-ed that Bissette wrote. Some board members disagreed with Bissette’s characterization of the role of the board. That disagreement seemed to shine a spotlight on differences of opinion among some board members over whether the board should be focusing on policy work, as it has traditionally done, or if it should be more active in the day-to-day operation of the 17 campuses across the system.

Bissette maintained on Thursday that he felt that level of management was outside of where the board should focus its efforts.

“We’re a policy board,” the outgoing chair said. “We should not be involved in issues at the campus level, and I think there are a number of us who have that belief. And then there are others who think that, in the past, the board members have not been as active and engaged as they could be.”

He said, instead, that work should be left to the professionals on each campus.

“We’ve got great professionals – from the president on down through our chancellors – who have been in this business for a long time,” Bissette said. “They know how to run educational institutions.”

Smith taking over as board chair could be seen as that changing of perspective among board leadership. Smith is an East Carolina University alumnus who has been successful in the business world.

He was also recently the subject of a lawsuit from a former finance official at North Carolina Central University who accused Smith and another board member – Darrell Allison – of improperly steering the university toward a particular housing vendor. Smith and Allison have denied any wrongdoing.

WRAL also reported recently on Smith’s involvement in proposing that ECU administrators work toward a public-private partnership regarding an apartment complex Smith had been approached about purchasing.

Smith told the News & Observer in a recent interview that he wanted the university system to operate in a more business-like fashion, which has drawn concern from some faculty across the varying campuses.

Spellings acknowledged that a learning curve was still ahead for Smith.

“He knows what he doesn’t know,” Spellings said of the newly elected chair. “And I do think he has respect and deference for those of us who are in public life and work and manage and run the thing.”

Spellings added that she felt Smith was “extremely bright, very energetic, very well-informed and comes from a place of great intention.”

Smith will take over as chair in July. Former North Carolina State University trustee Randy Ramsey was elected vice chair on Thursday and former state lawmaker Pearl Burris-Floyd was re-elected secretary. All of the candidates were running unopposed.

Bissette said he hoped to wrap up the searches for new chancellors at UNC – Asheville and Western Carolina before the end of his term.