news-record.com

GREENSBORO —  N.C. A&T is beginning the search for its next leader in the wake of Chancellor Stanley Battle’s resignation — and contemplating the challenges that will face them.

“I think this is a period of anxiety maybe because people don’t know who the next chancellor will be or when they’re coming,” said Franklin McCain, Chairman of A&T Board of Trustees. “But I think we’ll have an organizational committee formed by next Friday and it’s my goal to have our new chancellor before the next academic year begins.”

Battle, who cited family and personal reasons for his resignation, has not returned phone calls or responded to questions about it. He will stay on until June 30.

After the committee interviews candidates the Board of Trustees will forward a list to UNC President Erskine Bowles for consideration. He will nominate the new chancellor, who must be elected by the Board of Governors.

Some in faculty and administration have said Battle’s hands-on management style and push for higher standards put him at odds with long-time employees. McCain said he hopes the next chancellor will be a good fit - but there are no guarantees.

“I’ve interviewed  a thousand people for different positions over the years,” McCain said. “But you can never tell how a person is going to be until they’re in that position. They have to have strong leadership and managerial skills, of course, but you just have to hope you’ve chosen the right person for your community.”

To do that McCain said he plans to put together a committee of 8-12 A&T community members representing students, teachers, faculty, staff and trustees.

Marcus Bass, president of A&T’s student government, will be part of that committee. He said the next chancellor needs to keep an eye on the budget and recruiting challenges the school is facing, but never lose track of the connection with students. Bass said former Chancellor James Renick was known for always being “on the yard” - on campus among the students. Because of all the financial and reorganization problems Battle faced right away, he wasn’t able to do that as much, Bass said - but he did his best.

“He would come to the cafeteria once a week and hold court with students there,” Bass said. “And you’d always see him at home games and concerts. If he was in his office, there was an open door policy for students. But it was harder for him.”

Trustee Velma Speight-Buford led the search committee that chose Battle nearly two years ago. In that search A&T hired a firm to do much of the legwork for them - something she said they shouldn’t do again.

“I think that search firm had more power than I would have liked,” Speight-Buford said. “You’re paying them mega-bucks so you don’t want to be on top of them - but this time we need to be more personally involved, our own people.”

Contact Joe Killian at 373-7023 or joe.killian@news-record.com