The facts: Thomas Stafford’s retirement was announced last spring and his retirement party was held Monday, April 23.

Our opinion: With an N.C. State legend like Stafford leaving, students and faculty should be aware of the search to find his replacement. The University should expand our search efforts from the task force to the student body.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Tom Stafford will be stepping down from his 41 years at the University.

Seeking to fill the position, the University’s search should be more anticipated than last year’s search for a new head basketball coach. Hired for this position by his predecessor, Banks Talley, in 1983, Stafford has been a part of University life since 1971, and was involved in many of its big changes.

Stafford, along with nearly everyone in Student Affairs, has always followed the “students first” mentality. As students of this University, we can do more than just hope the University hires someone like-minded.

Much like the current searches for a new College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Natural Resources dean, the process for finding a replacement for Stafford will be very difficult. However, students must understand the weight this position holds as an advocate for them.

The position of vice chancellor of Student Affairs extends to nearly every aspect of students’ day-to-day lives, from ensuring Student Health Services provides the right type of services to making sure University Housing maintains the proper standards for student living. The position ensures everything student-related on our campus runs smoothly and effectively, and as Stafford has demonstrated, is centered on the student body.

Understanding the impact of such a position, students should feel more invested in finding Stafford’s replacement. The University has developed a search committee with the intent on finding a replacement. This committee has four student leaders involved in the search; however, they should open up the efforts to a bigger audience.

This committee prompts students for their feedback and input as to who should be the next Stafford. We must let our voices be heard by the administration and by our student representatives helping in the process. 

What we want to see in the next Vice Chancellor of Academic Student Affairs should be the prime concern for the administrators responsible for the hiring. Stafford has set a precedent for what abilities a person must have and uphold in his type of position -which makes big shoes to fill for his successor.