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GREENSBORO — University of North Carolina President Erskine Bowles didn’t mince words Friday when speaking to the N.C. A&T committee that will search for the school’s next chancellor.

“None of us involved in the last search for a chancellor thought we would be here again this soon,” Bowles said to the committee, whose first meeting drew dozens of A&T students and alumni. “But if we choose carefully we will not have to be here again any time soon.”

A&T Chancellor Stanley Battle resigned suddenly last month after just two years, citing family and personal reasons. Though Battle will remain chancellor until June 30, he has canceled scheduled personal appearances since resigning and has refused to comment on his decision. He did not appear at the meeting Friday.

Bowles would not comment on Battle’s departure except to say he was sad to see him go and to praise his raising of academic standards at the school. A&T’s next chancellor will be the school’s fourth leader since Edward Fort retired in 1999. Bowles said he expects the committee will find a leader who will last a while.

“Just like with any organization, you’re going to have to have the right fit,” Bowles said.

Bowles said he wants the committee to bring him two finalists for chancellor. The candidates should know A&T well, demand high standards from students and staff, be proven fund raisers and be able to articulate a vision for the school. If those standards are met, Bowles said, the next chancellor will be a good fit with the A&T community.

“You will see them fall behind him then and they’ll want to work with him,” Bowles said.

The search committee, headed by Board of Trustees Chairman Franklin McCain, aims to have a new chancellor in place by the time Battle leaves. If that’s not possible Bowles will have to appoint an interim chancellor. To save time and money, the committee voted unanimously to begin the search without hiring a professional firm to vet candidates.

Of the nine chancellor searches over the last four years at UNC campuses, all have used an executive search firm, UNC officials say.

While the committee reserved the right to bring in a professional firm later many members said it would be too large an expense just two years after the last search.

Trustee Velma Speight-Buford led the last chancellor search at A&T. She said that hiring a firm last time cost the school more than $90,000. With travel other expenses the final cost of the search was around $190,000.

“Doing it without a search firm will mean more work for the committee,” Speight-Buford said. “But I don’t see us spending another nearly $200,000 this time.”

McCain said he also thinks keeping the process to a committee composed of students, faculty, staff and alumni will give the A&T community greater control.

“I’m not sure we always get the very best candidates relative to what we’re looking for,” he said. “It does not really give you the freedom to go out yourself to quarters where you know there are good candidates.”

The committee’s next step: hold public meetings with students, faculty and staff to get input. Once the selection process begins, all information on candidates will be tightly controlled to avoid revealing their identities.

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