The UNCG Chapter of the American Association of University Professors condemns, in the strongest terms possible, a proposed policy revision to be presented to the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina this Thursday, September 17, 2020. This proposal, if approved, will gut a principle that has guided the North Carolina consolidated university system since it was first launched in 1931: shared governance, the idea that when local campuses seek input from stakeholders, listen to that input, and use it in important decision making processes, this sharing of power strengthens everyone’s confidence in the process and the institution.

The proposal has two parts. First, in any search for a new chancellor, the UNC System President will have the power to insert two candidates. And, second, the UNC President, regardless of the search committee’s deliberations and recommendations, can require that those two candidates “be part of the slate referred by the [local campus] board of trustees ” to the President for appointment as chancellor, should he choose.

These proposed changes will undermine the integrity of these important searches. First, the changes will discourage high quality candidates of national and international standing from entering a search when the results can be easily overridden. Second, citizens of integrity will not serve the many hours required by these important searches if their efforts can be ignored. Finally, the substantial costs paid by the taxpayers of North Carolina to hire executive recruiting firms will be for naught if the President of the UNC system can determine the result of any chancellor search.

The UNCG Faculty Senate has voted unanimously in opposition to this proposal, and the UNCG Chapter of AAUP joins our Senate in unanimous opposition to this proposal.