Carolina welcomes Lee H. Roberts as 13th chancellor
“I’m here to listen and learn, to partner with you,” Roberts told the campus at an Aug. 9 event.
At a brief campus event on Aug. 9, Lee H. Roberts shared that he could not be more honored to be named the 13th chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill.
“Hopefully, that’s a lucky 13,” Roberts told a group gathered at the Kenan Center on the afternoon of his election by the UNC System Board of Governors. His service will begin Aug. 12.
“There is no higher calling than supporting our mission every single day,” Roberts said. “To me, this University stands — above all else — for the ideal of public service, for helping the people of this state and all those who are touched by this place to achieve their greatest potential. As chancellor, I promise to be guided by that principle as we work together to carry North Carolina into the future.”
(Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)
Interim becomes permanent
Roberts was appointed interim chancellor by UNC System President Peter Hans in January. In selecting Roberts, a finance executive and former state budget director, Hans said that Carolina would benefit from his “calm, steady and focused leadership.”
A six-month national search attracted nearly 60 qualified candidates, four of whom were recommended by the Chancellor Search Advisory Committee and approved by the University Board of Trustees earlier in the week. From that slate, Hans nominated the interim leader of the past eight months for the permanent position.
“I believe we have found the right leader for this moment in Carolina’s history,” Hans said in his nominating remarks to the UNC Board of Governors. “Roberts brings a pragmatic understanding of what it will take to expand this University’s service to a vibrant state.”
(Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)
Public service paired with pragmatism
Dr. Cristy Page, chair of the Chancellor Search Advisory Committee and UNC School of Medicine executive dean, echoed those sentiments in her remarks at the campus event.
“I believe Lee Roberts is the very best person to lead Carolina at this time,” Page said, praising Roberts’ practical skills and passion for public service. “What stands out about Chancellor Roberts is that, above all else, he is a public servant. He has the skills and background to help us modernize some of our processes so we can move more quickly in our decision making. He understands what is required to make our world-class teaching and research enterprise even stronger.”
John Preyer, University Board of Trustees chair and a member of the search committee, also appreciated Roberts’ expertise. “Lee is a private sector businessman, but he’s also a dedicated advocate for higher education,” he said. “He has consistently been an experienced and measured voice in guiding the University through budget decisions, repair and renovation discussions, campus operations, and has relationships with the key stakeholders who can help this University significantly.”
In his remarks, Roberts stressed his intention to build relationships. “I’m here to listen and learn, to partner with you, and do what I can to build on our 230-year legacy of excellence in service.”
Roberts also told his audience that he’s grown to appreciate something that sets Carolina apart from other places. “Someone said to me that Carolina runs on love,” he said. “As I’ve spent more time on this extraordinary campus, I realize it’s the kind of love that continues to grow on you. Anyone who sets foot on this campus knows that’s the case, and it’s certainly been true for me.”
