news-record.com

NEWS

N.C. A&T alumnus expected to become next chancellor

Article
Comments (6)

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

(Updated 10:00 pm)

By Joe Killian
Staff Writer

GREENSBORO — The UNC Board of Governors is expected to select prominent N.C. A&T alumnus Harold Martin as the university’s next chancellor Friday, according to sources close to the process.

Martin, who now serves as senior vice president for academic affairs for the UNC system, has been mentioned as a likely candidate throughout the chancellor search.

The Board of Governors will meet on A&T’s campus Friday morning to make official what is reported to be UNC President Erskine Bowles’ choice for chancellor.

According to sources close to the search committee, Martin was the committee’s first choice because of his history with the school and his previous experience as chancellor of Winston-Salem State University from 2000-2006.

Members of the school’s Board of Trustees declined to comment Wednesday, citing the confidentiality of the selection process. Bowles’ office also declined to comment.

A&T Chancellor Stanley Battle announced his resignation in February, citing family and personal reasons. Though Battle has refused to talk about the resignation, staff and faculty said personality and philosophical clashes might have led to the split.

In the wake of Battle’s departure, students, faculty and staff suggested that the new chancellor should be an A&T alum. Martin’s name came up in Aggie forums on campus and after early search committee meetings in March.

Martin, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at A&T, also served as chairman of the electrical engineering department and dean of the school’s prominent College of Engineering. He was vice chancellor of academic affairs there until leaving to lead WSSU in 2000.

Martin was previously a candidate for chancellor of A&T but was passed over for James Renick in 1999. Renick left A&T in 2006 before questions surfaced about misuse of public funds. Earlier this year, the Guilford County district attorney decided not to pursue charges in the case.

Martin’s name was often mentioned during the 2006 chancellor search, but he stayed in his position at WSSU.

According to students and staff at A&T, Martin has remained a presence on A&T’s campus at events and alumni functions.

Word of Martin’s appointment has spread through the campus and alumni communities, faculty and staff said Wednesday, but they had been asked not to comment until Friday’s announcement.

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

Comments

View Comments

This article has been closed to new comments. Comments are generally closed after 14 days. However, comments may be closed earlier at the discretion of the News & Record.

Inappropriate content? Please report abuse.

madTGrad

May 20, 2009 - 7:02 pm EDT

As a long time Aggie employer and support; I pray that this Chancellor will be able to unearth some of the old roots of complacency. There are far too many people working in administrative positions with elitist attitudes. The largest and most profound problem on campus are IT issues and HR issues. Everyone knows that IT systems are not working on campus leaving students without access to the funds that allow them to eat, buy books and pay tuition. Every semester students are distressed because they cannot eat or do not receive refunds. The issues exist because of an IT VC that came into his position calling the IT department incompetent and an IT Budget Manager that use intimidation and her quest for power to kept IT employees underfoot.

The HR Vice Chancellor is grossly underqualified with only a BA degree according to the press release. She is so concerned with winning that she is willing to sacrifice her intergrity. She is a politician. Human Resources is not a HUMAN RESOURCE. She does not answer calls from faculty, and staff. The HR VC is continuing the harassment of the former HR Administration. I love A&T and if I did not love teaching at an HBCU and eating; I would leave.

The dying employee morale is on life support because of the same abuse that Hackley and Battle identified but failed to address. Getting to the root of discriminatory practices, intimidation and favortism is the start of a new beginning.

Perhaps the new Chancellor will survey his new campus ANONYMOUSLY to get to the root of the problem. He will be in my prayers...........

yamrev

May 21, 2009 - 11:22 am EDT

After reading your irrelevant and totally inappropriate comment, we conducted a quick survey of the students on campus and did not find a single instance (student, faculty, or staff) who could not eat or buy books because of the failure of the IT systems (AggieOne Card). Now our students receive their refunds in days instead of weeks & months. And this is just one of many examples of great successes at this university. The HR office now has actual policies and procedures in place.

It will be good that you come out and stand in front of the A&T student union and face the real facts instead of trying to mislead the aggie community. Things have improved at least a million times at A&T in the recent past and are about to go to the next level with the new leader coming in his/her role.

madTGrad

May 21, 2009 - 9:18 pm EDT

By the way.......... I am in no way saying that IT employees are not capable..........The problem is the leader.

madTGrad

May 22, 2009 - 5:08 pm EDT

VJ, now you are the Vice Chancellor of IT; it is unprofessional for you to comment and lie to the Aggie Community. On top of that, it is no wonder IT is in trouble, you are not even creative enough to use basic security to disguise yourself........ Wow, it is no wonder IT is in so much trouble.

You are over your head and your partner in crime is riding your shoulders drowning you........ Wake up yamrev.......Wake up..........Your sexist and racist ideas will come back to bite ya........

madTGrad

May 22, 2009 - 9:23 pm EDT

Ahh why would I go over to the Union unless I wanted lunch; I am no longer a student. Student congregate in front of the Union not instructors. I go occasionally for the Aggie Wings, you should try them. They are great!

madTGrad

May 22, 2009 - 5:18 pm EDT

If you surveyed the three students (estimate) that are in summer school now, you may have gotten that response. You did not do a survey; cut it out. Stop the madness, you and I both know that the systems on campus are a mess. Enrollment is critically low and students are sick of having their concerns dismissed and/or ignored. I was one of the students that threatened to stage a protest-so you are talking to the wind. Employees are fed up and scared.

As far as HR, the policies come from the state and HR does a poor job of instituting them. The HR VC hides her head, makes up rules like most politicians and ignores employee concerns. My comment is quite relevant my dear because the last two Chancellors knew about the issues but ignored them. It is clear that you are one of the few, the proud, the head in the sand, unaware high paid EPA employees. I will pray for you too.