Leadership Profile

The Board of Trustees of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill invites applications and nominations for the position of Chancellor. The Chancellor is the administrative and executive head of the University and exercises executive authority over the University.

Learn more about the position and the application process

America’s first public university

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is at the heart of what’s next, preparing a diverse student body to become creators, explorers, innovators and leaders in North Carolina, throughout the nation and around the world. Carolina’s nationally recognized teaching, groundbreaking research and dedication to public service continue a legacy that began when the University was chartered in 1789 and opened to students four years later.

For more than 225 years, we’ve been defining and redefining what it means to discover, to create and to educate.

South Building with UNC banners.

The UNC System

Carolina is one of the 17 institutions comprising the University of North Carolina system. The system is governed by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, elected by the North Carolina General Assembly and led by its president.

The University of North Carolina System is a multi-campus university dedicated to serving the state of North Carolina and its people through world-class teaching, research and scholarship, and outreach and service. More than 225,000 students are enrolled in the UNC System’s 16 university campuses across the state and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, the country’s first public, residential high school for gifted students.

Learn more about the system

The Bell Tower.

Get to know Carolina

  • World-Class Education

    The University’s academic culture fosters excellence in the liberal arts and the humanities, as well as in interdisciplinary teaching and scholarship between and among the health, natural and social sciences. The breadth and depth of the campus community enable its members to consider complex issues, advances and discoveries from all perspectives.

  • Top-tier faculty

    Today, students learn from a full-time 3,300-member faculty. Another 8,300 staff members support the University’s mission. Many of the faculty members hold or have held major posts in national scholarly or professional organizations and have earned election to the most prestigious academic academies and organizations.

  • Research Enterprise

    In its third century – an era of groundbreaking study and discovery – UNC-Chapel Hill is harnessing the very best of our fast-changing world. We’re proud to advance knowledge for this and each generation to come.

  • Campaign for Carolina

    On Oct. 6, 2017, Carolina launched its most ambitious fundraising campaign ever — For All Kind: the Campaign for Carolina — to foster an innovation generation prepared to lead the world to a better future. The goal is to reach $4.25 billion by Dec. 31, 2022.

  • Alumni

    Carolina’s more than 336,000 alumni live in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and 160-plus countries. Over 178,000 live in North Carolina.

Academics

The University offers 74 bachelor’s, 104 master’s, 65 doctorate and seven professional degree programs through 14 schools including the College of Arts & Sciences to prepare students to thrive in a rapidly changing workforce. Our students develop a voice for critical thought and the courage to guide change. They connect to the future they’re already shaping.

More than a third of Carolina undergraduates study in other countries before graduation — one of the highest study abroad rates among public universities nationwide — with 400 programs in 70 countries. UNC-Chapel Hill has produced 49 Rhodes Scholars since the program began in 1904.

 

Two students look at a laptop during a class.

Athletics

Carolina is educating and inspiring through athletics.

Nearly 800 student-athletes compete on the University’s 28 varsity teams. Carolina has the eighth-most titles in NCAA history with 44 and has won 139 more ACC championships than any other current member institution. Carolina leads with 279 team titles.

Students cheer during a basketball game.

Arts and culture

The arts are a central part of the Carolina experience. Each day, diverse arts programs and courses connect members of the UNC-Chapel Hill community to one another and to the ever-changing local and global culture. Transformative and dynamic, the arts reflect the University’s pursuit of new knowledge and commitment to public service.

Students perform on stage with ukeleles.

Of the people,
for the people

  • Service to the state

    Whether it’s working directly with communities to overcome challenges or conducting impactful research in labs to find solutions to pressing issues, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is dedicated to serving the people of North Carolina. As a university built for the people, public service is at the core of Carolina's mission.

    Learn more

  • Access and affordability

    Carolina is continually ranked one of the top universities for value in the world. We are dedicated to providing a high-quality, affordable education to students from all backgrounds. We proudly call our first-generation college students “Carolina Firsts.” Making up nearly 20% of our undergraduate population, Carolina Firsts are integral to our campus culture, contributing greatly to our diversity and intellectual life.

    Learn more

  • UNC Health Care

    Patient outreach programs affiliated with Carolina and the UNC Health Care System serve citizens in all 100 North Carolina counties. UNC Health Care provides top-quality care for people across the state through 10 hospitals and hospitals systems, a physicians networks and affiliation with the UNC School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.

    Learn more

  • Innovating for all

    Carolina innovators are helping to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Through their ingenuity, they provide economic and social value in North Carolina and beyond: creating jobs, finding cures, combatting diseases, fighting poverty, eliminating hunger, providing clean water and promoting social justice.

    Learn more

The Chancellor's Medallion sits on a book.

The Invitation

Applications and nominations are invited and will be accepted until the University’s 12th chancellor is announced. For fullest consideration, a candidate’s materials should be received by Oct. 25, 2019. A candidate shall provide a curriculum vitae, a letter that addresses the ways in which the candidate’s experiences match the position requirements, and the names and contact information of at least five references. The Search Committee and the Board of Trustees will respect candidate confidentiality and references will not be contacted without the prior knowledge and approval of the candidate.

A candidate will possess an earned terminal degree, an outstanding record of teaching and research, exceptional leadership skills and experience, or have demonstrated successful leadership experience at the highest levels outside the academy with a proven understanding of higher education.

Confidential inquiries, nominations, and application materials should be directed via electronic mail to: chancellorsearch@northcarolina.edu. 

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or status as a protected veteran.

EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer