Chair of the Faculty Speeches

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UNC President Search Committee

Speech by Brenda Killingsworth, incoming UNC Faculty Assembly Chair to the UNC President Search Committee
May 2005
Thank you Vice Chairman Souza and Search Committee members for the opportunity to share our views on the desirable qualities of the incoming UNC President.

The incoming President should possess the key qualities of integrity, fairness and leadership. The President should be a visionary and an entrepreneur, having demonstrated high academic and professional achievement. Further, the President should be a great communicator, capable of working well with the many diverse constituencies of The University of North Carolina.

The incoming President should have a good understanding of North Carolina and the importance of higher education as it impacts the quality of lives and the economic development of the State.

The incoming President should have a clear understanding and a strong conviction for the importance of the mission of The University of North Carolina. The President should be able to lead effectively to ensure that the system continues to provide for a well-planned and coordinated system of higher education as specified in the Higher Education Reorganization Act of 1971. With scarce resources and ever increasing global pressures, it is imperative that a President be selected capable of ensuring that this mission continues to be fulfilled.

The incoming President should support the principles of academic freedom and tenure to ensure an environment that nurtures and promotes innovation and inquisitiveness. As the University strives to address the needs of a growing student body as well as pressures to retain quality faculty, the ability to identify and obtain resources to ensure the UNC mission is met is also of critical importance.

Finally, while faculty have expressed concern about the Board of Governor’s decision to create a search committee of current and emeriti board members to the exclusion of other major constituencies, we do recognize and want to express appreciation for the opportunity to participate in these open forums and that the names of the finalist(s) will be made public, providing faculty an opportunity to offer input.


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