Message from BOT Chair John Preyer, Search Committee Chair Cristy Page on Lee H. Roberts
During his time as interim chancellor, he set a vision for the University rooted in its core mission to serve the state of North Carolina, educate the next generation of leaders and conduct life-changing research.
Dear Carolina Community,
We are excited to share the news that the UNC Board of Governors has elected Lee H. Roberts as University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s 13th chancellor. The entire Carolina community is invited to watch Chancellor Roberts’ acceptance speech at 2 p.m. today via a livestream.
Over the past six months, the Chancellor Search Advisory Committee heard from a wide range of constituents about the characteristics they wanted in their next leader. The themes that prevailed included a deep passion and love for the University, a drive to excel in everything Carolina does and a profound commitment to serving our state. The committee took all the feedback seriously and incorporated it into the job posting as well as the attributes we looked for in potential candidates.
After completing our interviews, we passed a slate of finalists on to UNC System President Peter Hans. What stood out to us about Chancellor Roberts was the fact that during his time as the interim chancellor he set a vision for the University rooted in its core mission to serve the state of North Carolina, educate the next generation of leaders and conduct life-changing research. Now that he has been elected, we look forward to working with him as he continues to guide our University with humility, empathy and determination.
Chancellor Roberts is an advocate for higher education and for the state of North Carolina. Prior to serving as interim chancellor, he served as a member of the UNC Board of Governors and as the chair of its budget committee. He has held positions on the State Board of Community Colleges, North Carolina’s Banking Commission and the Board of Visitors at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, where for the last five years he taught public budgeting to graduate students. Chancellor Roberts has also served as a board member at the Golden LEAF Foundation, which invests in educational and economic opportunities for North Carolina’s rural communities. He served as state budget director under Gov. Pat McCrory from 2014 to 2016, and he was the co-founder and managing partner of SharpVue Capital, a North Carolina investment firm that specializes in stewarding institutional funds and growing local economies.
We want to thank our colleagues on the search advisory committee for their time and effort during the recruitment process. We also thank the dedicated constituents – students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and community members – who offered input about what they wanted in our next chancellor. The feedback gleaned through several listening sessions, informal conversations and an online survey and nomination form that garnered 3,100 responses offered valuable insights in helping to identify our next leader.
Please join us in congratulating Chancellor Roberts and welcoming him officially as Carolina’s 13th chancellor.
Sincerely,
John Preyer
Chair, Board of Trustees
Cristy Page
Chair, Chancellor Search Advisory Committee
Executive Dean, UNC School of Medicine
Chief Academic Officer, UNC Health
