CHAPEL HILL (December 12, 2024) – It seems there’s tension on every college campus these days, from governing boards to student protests.

In North Carolina, governance can seem complex: There’s a Board of Governors for the UNC System, which is appointed by state legislators. There’s a System President. There’s a Board of Trustees at each UNC campus. And there’s a Chancellor at each institution.

But UNC Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee Roberts makes it clear in the accompanying video that he reports to exactly one person.

“I report to one person – to Peter Hans, the System President,” Roberts says. “I don’t report to a board, like so many university presidents do.”

Roberts proceeds to diplomatically praise UNC’s Board of Trustees, and he welcomes their input.

But Hans has repeatedly made it clear that campus Boards of Trustees are advisory boards. They’re not in charge.

Sometimes they need to be reminded of that.