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The search for the next president of the UNC System has been underway since June 2019, following former UNC President Margaret Spellings’ resignation in October 2018. Student representatives are pushing for constituents to be more vocal in the search process.
Adam Schmidt, a fourth-year studying civil engineering and president of the Association of Student Governments, represents the students from all UNC-System schools and is a non-voting member of the Board of Governors. Anyone can participate in listening sessions that the board hosts to speak their opinions on what kind of person should be the next UNC President, according to Schmidt. Students can also recommend people they think are qualified.
Schmidt said he believes the controversy surrounding Spellings was ultimately about the fact that that students did not feel heard. Schmidt hopes to see more students and faculty involved in the process.
Student Body President Emma Carter, a fourth-year in international studies and sociology, does not get a vote in who the next president will be, but like Schmidt, she can contribute her input to the listening sessions.
Carter said that she is looking for someone who understands the diversity of the 17 UNC System schools.
“Within the UNC System, we have predominantly white institutions, we have historically Black colleges and universities, we have minority-serving institutions, and we all are differently structured,” Carter said. “Of course a university is typically structured the same, but we all have different needs.”
Carter also said she hopes the next president will be someone who listens to students and student government leaders.
“I’m someone who seeks out student input,” Carter said. “I know recently, interim president Roper, within the last year, came into NC State, and we got to sit down and talk about what we’re going through as a university.”
Carter said that moving the UNC System forward includes advancing opportunities for students and giving faculty and staff more financial support.
In addition to university-specific issues, Carter said she hopes that the potential president would understand how state and federal issues affect the universities within the system, such as the potential Title IX changes and the delays in setting a new state budget.
Schmidt said he would like a system president who has a background in higher education or is open to understanding the inner workings of higher education.
“Even if this candidate potentially doesn’t come from a higher-ed background, they need to have worked with it, and they need to understand it, and they need to take the time to listen,” Schmidt said.
The Board of Governors has not named any potential candidates, and the recruitment process has not begun. Once the listening sessions are over, the board will write a job description before recruitment begins, according to Schmidt.
The Presidential search page on the UNC System website explains the process of electing a new president. It includes what stages shareholders of the UNC System can participate in. Shareholders include students and North Carolina residents.
Future meeting dates are on the website page as well as a link to recommend a potential person. Schmidt added that anyone graduating who thinks they can fulfill the position is welcome to recommend themselves.