Editorial: UNC Board chases away another exceptional leader

The University of North Carolina Board of Governors just fired UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol Folt, effective the end of this month. It is the wrong thing to do. What the board should be discussing is why exceptional and capable people like Margaret Spellings and Folt don’t want to work for them.

The entire UNC-Chapel Hill campus Board of Trustees should resign in protest to the way their university is being treated by the Board of Governors.  This is outrageous.

Below is a statement from the leaders of the $4.25 billion Campaign for Carolina Leadership fundraising effort, in support of Folt as chancellor. We agree with this statement.

Today, we stand together as proud alumni, friends and supporters of the University of North Carolina. We applaud Chancellor Folt for her principled leadership of our university. The decision to remove all remnants of the Confederate Monument from campus was necessary and right.

Since arriving at Carolina six years ago, Chancellor Folt has strengthened our university in many ways. Better access and affordability for students. Record-setting levels of research. A student body that has never been stronger. Repeated accolades as one of the nation’s top public research universities.  Under her leadership, the Campaign for Carolina has raised more than $2.4 billion toward our $4.25 billion goal, positioning the university for continued long-term success.  We are confident about the future of this campaign and of our University.  When Chancellor Folt leaves in June, she will leave the University of North Carolina in better shape than she found it.

As we look to the future, the Board of Governors must act wisely and show true leadership. It must leave Chancellor Folt in place through the end of the academic year, and it must seek out new leaders for the university who will continue to place principles over politics.