By Don Flow The UNC System is the most important institution in North Carolina.  It is the distinctive difference between our state and every other southern state. It sets us apart. It is at the heart of what has enabled us to flourish relative to our neighbors. But it hasn’t achieved its excellence by accident…. READ MORE

By E. Gordon Gee As chief executive at five universities—with five different governing schemes and prevailing philosophies—I have learned one overriding truth about university governing boards: They love you until they don’t. Governing boards typically have power to appoint and to fire presidents and chancellors. Thus, these leaders spend their time trying to avoid the… READ MORE

ASHEVILLE – Proper governance of the University of North Carolina System is not a new issue. At a July 2017 meeting of the UNC Board of Governors in Asheville, Dr. Belle Wheelan, president of the agency that accredits all 16 public universities in North Carolina, spoke to board members about their role. “We ask you… READ MORE

By Hugh McColl States need certain ingredients to be great. They need globally competitive industries like biotech, international financial centers like Charlotte, and an arts and entertainment community that gives families a reason to stay.  But the most important ingredient is a world-class education system. In North Carolina, that educational excellence has always been led… READ MORE

By Richard Burr and Erskine Bowles The University of North Carolina (UNC) System’s 17 institutions have given generations of students a top-tier education. Our universities have achieved a standard of excellence at a fraction of the cost of public institutions in other states.  And they have built a bright, talented workforce, as the majority of… READ MORE

By Holden Thorp and Buck Goldstein Introduction: Universities falling short? We are honored to help introduce an ambitious series of articles on university governance and hopefully begin an important conversation that directly impacts the future of higher education in the United States. Over the last decade, we have been intimately involved in the subject as… READ MORE

By Holden Thorp and Buck Goldstein We are honored to help introduce an ambitious series of articles on university governance and hopefully begin an important conversation that directly impacts the future of higher education in the United States. Over the last decade, we have been intimately involved in the subject as both authors and practitioners,… READ MORE

By Holden Thorp and Buck Goldstein Culture is always more important than structure. You can organize, rearrange, and re-engineer indefinitely, but if the underlying culture of an institution is inconsistent with its mission and aspirations, it will ultimately be dysfunctional.  This is true for the internal workings of any college or university, but it is… READ MORE

By Holden Thorp and Buck Goldstein The previous five principles are largely directed at university trustees, and the following are intended for consideration by campus leaders.   Prioritize Board Education: Teaching a governing board the details of how higher education operates is real work. It’s no different than teaching general chemistry or a foreign language. If… READ MORE