UNCW begins search for new chancellor

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — UNC Wilmington is saying goodbye to Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo and hello to a search committee; the people who will be looking for a new leader to fill DePaolo’s shoes. Committee members were announced Friday morning. Among them are professors, alumni and Board of Trustee members. The search committee met for the first time Friday in the newest building on campus the nursing building.

Seahawk senior and nursing major, Whitney Wilson said the new Chancellor will have to maintain the level of student pride that is currently in place.

“It’s a big responsibility to manage all the students on a campus and keep everybody’s needs in mind,” Wilson said.

The search committee also has a big responsibility. The budget crisis has not spared the UNC System, and search committee chair Wendy Murphy knows she will have to be careful and efficient.

“We’ll spend where we need too, but we’re going to do the best job we can and get the best candidate,” Murphy said.

UNC President-elect Tom Ross encouraged committee members to keep an open mind and to not neglect necessities in order to “pinch pennies.” One expense the search committee feels is absolutely necessary is a search firm to help find the right leaders for this campus.

“We’re a certain size, and we have programs here that are unique to UNCW, so we want someone that understands that, that will bring us candidates that will understand our mission here,” Murphy said.

DePaolo will retire at the end of the academic year, and the committee hopes to have a new leader in place by the July 1. Ross said the first thing he believes search committee members should look for in a new candidate is integrity.