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The UNC System Board of Governors unanimously elected Lee Roberts, a well-connected finance executive, to be the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s next chancellor.

“I believe we have found the right leader for this moment in Carolina’s history, because the questions facing public higher education are wide ranging, enormously complex and likely to become magnified in the years ahead,” UNC System President Peter Hans said in his nomination speech.

“I’m convinced those questions are best addressed right now by a set of fresh eyes, by someone with experiences and expertise that offer a wide perspective on the challenges and the opportunities ahead,” Hans continued. “And that is why I am proud to nominate Lee Roberts.” 

Roberts, who was one of four finalists for the post, will become the university’s 13th chancellor. He has served as interim chancellor for eight months, after former Kevin Guskiewicz departed to become president at Michigan State University. Roberts will officially start on August 12. 

There has been plenty of speculation that he’d eventually secure the top job, even as many on campus were skeptical of his political ties and lack of significant higher education experience. Besides being appointed to the Board of Governors in 2021, he had no connections to the UNC System. 

Roberts rallied support from conservatives and even surprised some skeptics during his interim tenure. While he proved to some Chapel Hill observers that he could stand-up to political interference and balance complex campus constituencies, his handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations starkly divided supporters and critics. Recent decisions surrounding two long-standing campus institutions, the student-led honor court and the Campus Y, raised more questions about his view of shared governance. 

“I’m convinced those questions are best addressed right now by a set of fresh eyes, by someone with experiences and expertise that offer a wide perspective on the challenges and the opportunities ahead. And that is why I am proud to nominate Lee Roberts.” 

Peter Hans, UNC System president

Hans called Roberts a “Tar Heel by choice” in his nomination speech, and said he had proved during his time as interim chancellor that he showed a “willingness to listen” and “approach difficult moments with humility.” Hans cited frequent incidents where he’d receive messages from people who were surprised to hear directly from Roberts as he sought out new ideas or dissenting opinions. 

Hans also nodded to Roberts’ response to the pro-Palestinian protesters who took down an American flag on campus and replaced it with a Palestinian one—an incident that earned national attention and prompted top state Republican leaders to endorse Roberts for permanent chancellor. When the protests became national news, Hans said Roberts declined interviews with partisan outlets and “kept his focus where it needed to be—not on himself, but on the university and its mission.”

“He has shown a patient understanding that Carolina does not belong to any one faction or any one cause, but to the entire state with a duty to welcome and serve people of every background and belief,” Hans said. “That responsibility is especially important as our public universities navigate this era of passionate intensity in public life and deep divisions in our society and politics.”

Go Deeper

The selection follows a six-month national search which yielded about 60 qualified candidates, according to a system press release. The search process sped up in recent weeks, and additional planned listening sessions were canceled. 

As an interim ascending to the top job, Roberts may face perception and governing challenges if the campus does not accept the search as legitimate, consultants and presidential search experts previously told The Assembly. 

Roberts will step into the permanent position and the complicated political terrain that comes with it. Whether concerns about the search and his political connections will impact his ability to lead remains to be seen. 

“Carolina is the university we love, and the university we fight over. The place that commands attention for its accomplishments, and sometimes even more attention for its controversies,” Hans said. “To put it plainly: Carolina, it’s a lot to handle. … Leadership in Chapel Hill is not for the faint of heart.” 

Erin Gretzinger is a higher education reporter at The Assembly. She was previously a reporting fellow at The Chronicle of Higher Education and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. You can reach her at erin@theassemblync.com.