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GREENSBORO — Let the hunt begin.

A newly appointed UNCG search committee launched on Friday afternoon its six-month, $150,000 effort to replace Chancellor Patricia Sullivan, who will retire in July.

UNC system President Erskine Bowles charged the committee with the task of finding chancellor candidates who have strong interpersonal abilities and who are proven leaders, fundraisers and skilled administrators.

"We need a leader," Bowles told the committee. "We need someone who, like Pat Sullivan, won't accept that UNCG is as good as it could be and someone who demands we make it better."

Next week, the search committee will hire a consultant to help recruit and sort out potential candidates.

This month, the committee also will host public forums where faculty, staff, students and alumni can express the qualities they would like to see in the new chancellor.

"We have an opportunity to find a great leader for a great institution," said Steven Hassenfelt , the UNCG board of trustees chairman. Hassenfelt will lead the search.

The search committee members, who were appointed by Hassenfelt, include UNCG student, faculty and administration representatives, the president of the alumni association, a former Greensboro city manager and five UNCG trustees.

Bowles, who will ultimately chose a single finalist to be considered by the UNC system's Board of Governors, gave the search committee a long list of qualities he would like to see in the three candidates the committee will recommend.

"Bring me someone who has passion," Bowles said. "It has to be someone who cares and cares deeply, like Pat (Sullivan), about this university."

He told the committee to look for candidates who could work well with the UNC system and with N.C. A&T Chancellor Stanley Battle, and who would be committed to both undergraduate studies and graduate research.

Bowles did not specify any academic qualifications the candidates should have, saying he will leave that up to the committee to decide.

"Academic credentials are important," he said. "It's important to be accepted and supported by the faculty."

On Friday, committee members briefly debated whether the finalists for the job should announced publicly and be introduced to the community before the committee selects three finalists.

But some wondered whether a public process would inhibit candidates from applying for the job.

Hassenfelt said the committee can make that determination with the help of the consultants.

Hassenfelt and others said they expect a good pool of candidates for the position.

"This is a very attractive job," said Ann Lemmon , the committee's liaison from the UNC system. "You have an attractive city. You have a campus with a good reputation. ...You're not going to have to beat the bushes for a candidate."

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com.