THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 10, 1996 TAG: 9608100279
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: CHAPEL HILL LENGTH: 56 lines
UNC President C.D. Spangler Jr. surprised no one Friday when he announced his retirement plans, setting in motion a pre-planned series of steps to find a successor before June.
Spangler, 64, said he expects to step down as leader of the 16-campus University of North Carolina on June 30 after 11 years in office. He had said in June that he would tell the board this month about his retirement plans.
``I hardly know where to begin because I really don't want this to end, but it is time to do so,'' Spangler told the UNC Board of Governors.
``Being president is good for many reasons. One is that when you work on behalf of education for students, you feel you are on the side of the angels.''
Spangler said after the meeting he would continue to be involved in education in the state after his retirement. He is a former chairman of the state Board of Education and a former vice chairman of the Mecklenburg County Board of Education. He was named president of the UNC system in 1986.
Before the board heard Spangler's announcement, it approved a capital budget of $68.9 million and a total operations budget of $1.36 billion.
The capital budget included $9.8 million to get started with installation of fire alarm systems and sprinklers in residence halls. A major feature of the operations budget was $29.9 million appropriated by the 1996 legislature for 4.5 percent faculty and administrator salary increases.
Spangler's replacement may be in place as early as April, said board chairman Cliff Cameron. He named a nominating committee to select the members of committees to define the qualities needed in a new president, shift applications and make a final decision.
Cameron said 24 of the board's 32 voting members will participate on the selection committees. The Board of Governors is expected to approve the committee membership at its Sept. 13 meeting.
``It was the feeling of this board that you wanted to be much more involved in this process than you were 11 years ago,'' Cameron said.
Cameron said there should be no problem attracting 200 to 300 applications for the job, including individuals who are recruited. He said he hoped a replacement could work several months with Spangler.
``I think we've got the most attractive position in the country in the field of higher education,'' Cameron said.
Pay may be an issue in the search for a new president, said former board chairman Sam Neill.
``There's no question some people will drop out,'' Neill said. ``Public institutions don't pay as well as private institutions. . . . There's an intangible reward for a person at the head of a system of this quality, but you can't eat that.'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS photo
UNC President C.D. Spangler Jr., left, confers Friday in Chapel Hill
with Cliff Cameron, chairman of the UNC Board of Governors. Spangler
expects to step down June 30 after 11 years in office. by CNB