Former chancellor questions process used to pick Fayetteville State's new leader

"To me, what's at issue is how he got the job and the fact that it doesn't appear that the process that had been outlined and published was indeed followed," said Willis McLeod, a Fayetteville State alumnus who served as chancellor from 1995 to 2003.

McLeod said he went through a very intense vetting process before his name was forwarded as a top contender to become chancellor.

"Running a university is one of the toughest jobs one can have," he said.

Sources have told WRAL News that Allison didn't make the search committee's final cut, but his name was added at the last minute to the list sent to the Board of Governors for the final selection.

A Fayetteville State alumni group sent a letter to UNC President Peter Hans last month after meeting with five finalists for chancellor and unanimously recommended another candidate. That candidate's name was redacted in the letter obtained by WRAL News, but Demetrius Haddock, who was part of the alumni group, said it wasn't Allison.

Hans sent an email to the group thanking them and saying he would share the letter with the Board of Governors.

"The notion that you can take someone that may not be everyone's choice and then take that person and skip them to the top of the line, that just strikes me has problematic, extremely problematic," Haddock said.

Allison and the chair of the search committee denied any special treatment during Allison's introductory news conference last week.