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GREENSBORO — When Harold Martin was named N.C. A&T’s chancellor last month, the job came with an almost messianic level of hype. Students, staff, faculty and alumni so praised the A&T graduate, a former professor and administrator at the school, that he took time in his acceptance speech to remind them he doesn’t walk on water.

Many Aggies say Martin is just what the school needs — one of its own whose experience outside the school as chancellor at Winston-Salem State and chief academic officer for the UNC system will now serve his alma mater in its time of need.

But as Martin begins his job today, he says it’s time to look past the hype and get down to work. Sitting for an interview just days before taking charge at A&T, Martin talked openly and extensively about the campus’ problems. Nearly every sentence began or ended with “quite frankly” or “quite honestly,” the new chancellor making it clear that though he has plenty of Aggie pride, it hasn’t blinded him to what needs to be done.

“As an engineer, I’m a problem solver,” Martin says. “We know what our issues are. We should set in motion to absolutely address those concerns.”

Engaging students

Martin said he wants to tackle one of A&T’s biggest problems — academic performance and student retention — from the ground up. He said outgoing Chancellor Stanley Battle did good work in raising the school’s basic admissions standards, something the school badly needed. Just two years ago 25 percent of A&T students — one in four — were on academic probation. Battle managed to whittle that down to 12 percent — and the new wave of students coming in with higher standards are doing well.

“But once we admit those students we must also ensure we have well-defined, intensive engagement of those students,” Martin said.

“Typically, the freshman and sophomore year experiences — if those are high experiences, quality engagement of our students — if they get through those first two years they tend to go on and graduate in a more timely fashion and in a larger percentage.”

Building on campus life

Martin said he’ll be spending a lot of time with students in his first few months — talking to them about what they need to be successful. Not just in formal student forums but by going to student events, eating in the cafeteria, being “on the yard,” as students say.

Being part of a vibrant on-campus culture is a big part of student success, Martin said. That’s why he wants to encourage students to live on campus, though none are currently required to. He has also considered restricting cars on campus for underclassmen.

“I think living on campus creates an environment where students learn and engage and debate,” Martin said. “One of the concerns I’ve had since I arrived and have been driving around the campus is the explosion of houses around the periphery.”

When 22-year-old A&T senior Dennis Hale was shot to death outside his apartment on Homeland Avenue in January, it rocked the entire Aggie community.

Discussion focused on the large number of students living just off campus in increasingly dangerous student neighborhoods whose prime selling points seem to be little attention from university officials or campus police.

Martin said the school needs to form stronger relationships with landlords and rental companies to make sure off-campus students are living in safe, academically supportive environments.

“That can’t occur if we’re not engaging them in open dialogue,” Martin said. “I want to express my own general concerns about the relationship we must have. Not want to develop but we absolutely must have.”

Focus on the faculty

Martin, a former dean of A&T’s engineering school, said he wants to see the school reclaim its mission as a research and doctoral institution. That means hiring and maintaining the best faculty, Martin said — even in tough economic times.

“An engagement of faculty, understanding the concerns of faculty, resources they need to be successful, the expectations of faculty... I understand those concerns, I really do,” Martin said.

That means that even as budgets are being cut and adjunct professors laid off, Martin said he wants to be sure faculty are being paid what they’re worth.

“We need to ensure that our faculty and staff are competitively compensated for comparable work,” Martin said. “We have to be competitive with our peers. Quite honestly, we are not, by my observation.”

As UNC President Erskine Bowles’ right-hand man, Martin has had a front-row seat to the university system’s current financial crisis. Last semester, the school’s 16 campuses were asked to cut their budgets by 7 percent — a cut that led to mass layoffs, canceled classes and fewer course offerings for students.

Next year’s cuts could be as deep as 11 percent, or more than $200 million. That could be particularly painful at A&T, which is waiting out a hiring freeze with 100 vacant teaching positions.

Martin said he understands he’s becoming chancellor at a challenging time, but he’s not intimidated.

“It’s an exceptional opportunity for me to be here at this time,” Martin said. “Because I think it’s important to make very, very good decisions during this window. And plan well during this window of significant challenge, so when we emerge from this economic challenge, we’re in a better position.”

“I think we will be,” Martin said. “I really do.”

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