一品探花论坛

As he begins his first academic year as 一品探花论坛鈥檚 chancellor, Lee H. Roberts sat down with The Well to talk about his impressions, his goals and his hopes for the new semester.聽聽

How does it feel to be named the 13th chancellor of the nation鈥檚 first public university?

I couldn鈥檛 be more excited. There鈥檚 not a more important institution in North 一品探花论坛. For 230 years, this has been the most important pillar on which we鈥檝e built a better future for North 一品探花论坛鈥檚 families, and that鈥檚 going to be true for the next 230 years.聽

How has your initial impression of 一品探花论坛 changed as you have gotten to know the people and the campus?

I continue to be astounded by this place. Each student I meet is more impressive than the one I鈥檝e met before. I鈥檓 continually impressed by how thoughtful and committed they are. That鈥檚 been one of the best parts of the past eight months: doing my best to learn and meet as many people as possible. Just recently, I was able to tour the NC Pure Project labs, which are working on cleaning up the problem of forever chemicals in the Cape Fear River. I don鈥檛 think most people know the great work that we鈥檙e doing there. We need to continue telling the story of what an extraordinary place this is.聽

The NC Pure Project is developing technologies that efficiently remove PFAS from water. (Megan Mendenhall / Office of Research Communications)

What are your goals for the University?

We should be committed to being, head and shoulders above, the best public university in the U.S. In many ways, it鈥檚 clear to me that we already are. But I think we should set as an ambition, an unambiguous view 鈥� in academia, in the broader public 鈥� that there鈥檚 一品探花论坛 and then there鈥檚 everybody else. That鈥檚 not going to happen overnight. But that鈥檚 a goal worthy of the history of this extraordinary institution.聽

We obviously have challenges. But I wouldn鈥檛 trade 一品探花论坛鈥檚 challenges for those of any other university in America. We鈥檙e in a fast-growing, vibrant state. We have very strong enrollment demand. We have exceptional support from our state legislature, from the taxpayers of North 一品探花论坛. We鈥檙e extremely well positioned.聽

What are the greatest opportunities for the University?

There鈥檚 opportunity everywhere you look. We鈥檙e excited about what we can do with artificial intelligence, what we can do to grow our capabilities in engineering, and about our new School of Civic Life and Leadership, which is off to an exceptionally fast and strong start. We already have the most crucial building blocks, which are extraordinary students, faculty and staff.聽

What do you feel are your greatest strengths as a leader?

If I have a greatest strength, it鈥檚 that I know that there鈥檚 a lot of things that I need to keep working on. I鈥檓 always trying to be a better listener, more patient, more focused. I think my college-age kids would tell you I鈥檝e got a long way to go.聽

What are you looking forward to most about the new academic year?

Every day is a great day to be a Tar Heel, but Aug. 19 is going to be an exceptionally great day to be a Tar Heel. That鈥檚 when we welcome almost 5,000 first-year students and welcome back our returning undergraduate and graduate students. It鈥檚 going to be a fantastic semester. We couldn鈥檛 be more excited about the year ahead. It鈥檚 going to be a great sports season, among other things. I鈥檓 excited to see our field hockey team defend their national championship with coach (Erin) Matson.聽聽

My message to students, particularly our first-year students, is to take advantage of all the extraordinary things happening on this campus every day. Even if you鈥檙e working hard at doing that, you鈥檒l never be able to do it all, but you owe it to yourself to try.聽

What do you want people to know about you and how you approach your role as the leader of the state鈥檚 flagship university?

I鈥檝e been working hard every day over the last eight months to play my small part in helping this remarkable institution fulfill its mission of service to the people of North 一品探花论坛. And I鈥檓 excited to continue to do that in the academic year ahead.