George Battle leaves Carolina’s IIRM office

George Battle is leaving his role as vice chancellor for Institutional Integrity and Risk Management at UNC-Chapel Hill, and the office will reorganize as part of the transition.

Battle has served as vice chancellor since January 2020, and his last day at Carolina will be July 17.

“I am most proud of my team,” Battle said. “The men and women from our police force to our privacy group to policy and ethics, the way they do their job, the seriousness with which they take it, the pride that they have – the love for this university – has just really overwhelmed me over the course of being here.

“And I will always take that with me. As a double alum of the University, I’m really heartened that we have people of this caliber who are working here and care so much about this place.”

Upon joining the IIRM division, Battle played a key role in helping the University persevere through the COVID-19 pandemic. Battle helped coordinate a vaccine confirmation system, acquired and distributed personal protective equipment and led teams aimed at maintaining operations throughout the pandemic.

Beyond the pandemic, Battle and his team have been responsible for addressing campus water issues, responding to safety concerns and helping manage risks associated with data security, privacy and conflicts of interest.

“George has been a valuable leader since joining the University in 2020,” Interim Chancellor Lee H. Roberts said. “He and his team have been instrumental in navigating the pandemic, public safety issues, data privacy, and many other needs to maintain campus operations during challenging times. We are extremely grateful for George’s time at Carolina, and we wish him the best in his next chapter.”

In preparation for Battle’s departure, several units reporting to IIRM will move to other areas of the University. Effective immediately, the Office of University Counsel will oversee the University Ethics and Policy Office and the Institutional Privacy Office. They will also oversee the Public Records Office, previously housed in University Communications. Carolina’s Conflict of Interest Office will move to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.

The following units will remain under Battle’s leadership until his departure, when Christi Hurt, chief of staff to the chancellor, assumes responsibility: