Today and tomorrow, committees in both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly will appoint 16 members to the UNC Board of Governors. Of the nominees who are up forappointment, ten are current members.
All of the nominees are successful, accomplished, and dedicated professionals.
But that’s not enough to be a good board member. To lead UNC, Board members must be tough, thorough, and willing to ask the hard questions. Here are the criteria that really matter:
- Willingness to be critical, even of one’s own alma mater: The UNC Board of Governors is no place for boosterism. In order for all of the schools in the system to improve, it’s necessary to look for efficiencies, take into account a school’s strengths and weaknesses, and to set aside sports loyalties.
- Experience outside of academia and government: The UNC Board of Governors works for the General Assembly and ultimately for the citizens and taxpayers of North Carolina. It does not work for UNC system or any of its constituent institutions. Members must keep that responsibility in mind when they vote to borrow more money, build nicer facilities, or purchase expensive equipment.
- Courage to stand up to chancellors and faculty: Every chancellor and every faculty member thinks his or her school or discipline is the most important and the best. Board members don’t have this luxury. They must prioritize programs and expenditures in a large system, which includes making decisions about which programs to eliminate or consolidate. Doing so is no small task, as we just saw when the Board voted to eliminate three university centers.
- A commitment to academic excellence, not enrollment growth: Under North Carolina’s current funding model, the way for universities to get more state funding is to attract more students. This incentive has lead to some questionable decisions; most recently governors voted to lower minimum SAT scores accepted at three universities starting this fall. The change will almost certainly boost enrollment, but at the expense of academic quality.
The UNC Board members chosen this week will be an important part of UNC’s future. They will participate in the selection of a new UNC president and they will oversee a process to “right-size” the university. It’s important to choose the right leaders.
