UNC System picks Peter Hans, state community college leader, as its next president
The UNC Board of Governors named a new system president Friday, plucking Peter Hans from his post as head of the state’s community colleges.
Hans will begin the job Aug. 1. When he does, he said Friday, he will focus on making sure public universities are affordable and accessible to families across the state and that it’s simple for students to transfer from community colleges to four-year universities, as well as between universities.
Hans will start work at a base salary of $400,000, comparable to the salary for chancellors in the system. The board said Hans asked for that salary, which would be lower than the base salary of previous presidents but subject to incentive increases of up to an additional $600,000 through June 30, 2022.
“Families are telling us clearly that the cost of higher education is too expensive,” Hans said during a brief news conference at UNC after the Board of Governors met and unanimously approved his hiring. “Public and private employers are telling us we need graduates with the skills to be successful in the workplace and in life.
“And the world is telling us at this moment in our nation’s history — and on Juneteenth no less — to provide opportunities to all, no matter who they are, what they look like or where they live, all North Carolinians.”
‘It’s time for this’
During the news conference, Board Chairman Randy Ramsey again thanked Bill Roper for serving as interim university president since January 2019. Roper said it had been an honor to serve, then congratulated his friend Hans and said, “It’s time for this.”
Ramsey said that in Hans, “We believe we have elected someone who can rise above partisan politics.”
The board meeting was held on campus, with nearly all board members in attendance either in person or by phone. Attendance by the press was limited in order to maintain social-distancing. After the meeting, some board members and Roper stood chatting in groups, almost none of them wearing masks.
Hans will take over the 17-campus UNC System as it heads toward the beginning of what could be a challenging academic year as faculty, staff and nearly 250,000 college and gifted high school students convene in classes during a pandemic. The system had a record-high enrollment in fall 2019, owing to improved student retention rates.
Hans has served for two years as president of the 58-campus community college system. He is also co-chair of the board of directors of MyFutureNC, a statewide nonprofit organization created to improve the educational attainment gap in North Carolina.
Hans took over the community college system at a time when enrollment was on the decline after having peaked during the recession, when people took classes to improve their chances of finding new jobs.
Hans is also a three-term former member of UNC Board of Governors, and served as chairman from 2012 to 2014. He also was a consultant to former UNC President Margaret Spellings and to Roper in his role as CEO of UNC Health Care.
Hans also previously served as vice chairman of the State Board of Community Colleges and served for six years on that board, starting in 1997.
Joint support from governor, legislative leaders
Gov. Roy Cooper, state Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore issued a joint statement saying Hans is “the right choice for UNC System President.”
“That we all agree on Peter is a testament to the respect he commands as an able, competent leader,” the joint statement said. “The UNC System is a shining example of quality, affordable public education. It bears responsibility for North Carolina’s competitive and skilled workforce. We’re confident Peter will continue to build on the System’s centuries of success.”
Roper announced last year he would not seek the president’s job permanently.
“Peter Hans passionately believes that North Carolina’s future depends on education, and he has a long track record of uniting people and institutions in pursuit of shared goals,” Roper said in a statement. “I am confident that, with today’s decision, great things are ahead for the UNC System and for our great state.”
UNC has been looking for a new permanent system president since the sudden departure of Margaret Spellings, who left in 2018 during controversy over “Silent Sam,” the Confederate statue that had stood on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus until protesters pulled it to the ground.
Spellings was at odds with some members of the Board of Governors over how to handle the statue and over HB2, a state law that regulated transgendered people’s use of public bathrooms.
Republican legislative leaders reportedly wanted Hans for the UNC System president’s job in 2015, when Spellings was hired instead.
The most recent UNC System presidential search was launched in June 2019, but was slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Staff writer Kate Murphy contributed to this report.
This story was originally published June 19, 2020 at 9:55 AM with the headline "UNC System picks Peter Hans, state community college leader, as its next president."
