The UNC system will pay a Dallas-based consultant $100,000 to assist in the search for the next university president.
The system has hired R. William Funk & Associates, a firm whose name may ring a bell. Funk ran the search at UNC-Chapel Hill that resulted in the hiring of current Chancellor Holden Thorp, and he was involved in a recent provost search there as well.
Funk has led searches for leaders at dozens of large universities and university systems, including a recent search at Virginia.
Funk's flat fee contract runs from April 23 to Dec. 31 or until the next leader is chosen. The $100,000 fee was the most the UNC system was willing to spend, said Hannah Gage, chairwoman of the UNC system's Board of Governors.
State funds will not be used.
Gage said Funk was a good candidate in part due to his prior work in North Carolina.
"He understands North Carolina and has worked closely on searches for our system," Gage said. "He has a sense of the governance structure and how we work with the legislature."
A UNC system committee interviewed five firms before settling on Funk, who pledged not to work for any other university system while he was under UNC's employ, Gage said.
Comments
search firms
Wed, 05/05/2010 - 14:30 — wzollerpaying for a search firm is definitely a waste of money. the board is only interested in protecting itself from liability. personally, i think the position should be dissolved with the money returned to the state to help with the deficit!
Counter offer
Tue, 05/04/2010 - 19:55 — countriboyOne hundred grand to look over some vitas? Shucks, me and my cousins--Harley, Joe Lee, Hank, Buck, et al--will conduct the search for a new system president for $10,000--and get stronger candidates.
Who gives a Funk?
Tue, 05/04/2010 - 13:00 — ConMaxFor a 100 grand, you could have had a lottary and the winner be chosen by a Vegas bookie for much cheaper........
Unless you want to hire a
Tue, 05/04/2010 - 08:57 — bureaucratUnless you want to hire a inside, patronage crony, you need an outside firm. While we might be able to identify most of the likely candidates on our own, their main job is accually talking them into applying. Search firms provide a harsh and realistic description of the job rather than the usual PR BS.
Wasted Money
Tue, 05/04/2010 - 08:35 — omegamanWe got money being wasted here on two fronts.
One: The "Powers To Be" in the UNC System are saying they are not smart enough to find a new leader - or they just too damn lazy or stupid to do the job.
Two: They are saying they are not qualified to select a new leader because they don't have the background. In either case they seem to be drawing money from the taxpayers of NC under false pretense.
Then fire them or demote them to cleaning dorms, classrooms, and picking up trash.
Well don't this beat all.
Tue, 05/04/2010 - 07:23 — pineridgeWell don't this beat all. No one in the UNC system is as qualified as a cowboy from Texas.
WTF
Tue, 05/04/2010 - 06:57 — stevemichaelsCall me crazy but I find if very funny that the UNC system can (at will) use money that is not "state money" for obscene costs like this or overpaying its sports coaches, but when its time to raise tuitions or cut staff they cry broke and look towards the taxpayers for help - Also, let me guess on how many high paying salaries they have in the recruitment field on staff and they can't find someone? I really feel for someone who was laid off from UNC due to budget cuts and they read this nonsense - my guess is that this 100K could pay for 2 jobs - what a disgrace!!! ( I am employed at NCSU, where its no different)