Politics and patronage are nothing new to the governance of North Carolina’s state By Whose universities. The conservatives now in control are raising questions about the line between setting policy and micromanaging. Authority? by Barry Yeoman 46 CAROLINA MARCH/APRIL ’18 47 ALUMNI REVIEW f a single moment could headquarters out of Chapel Hill “to Jenna A. Robinson ’05 (MA, ’12 PhD), have been coveted gifts. “No one gets to to Republicans. “I would estimate he define the political battle over remove the appearance of being more president of the Raleigh-based James G. the board unless you’re political,” says is directly responsible for more than control of the UNC System, it closely aligned with any single campus.”) Martin Center for Academic Renewal, member C. Philip Byers, a retired sheriff. $100,000 in financial support,” Tillis, who came when Thomas Fetzer, Some members described the motions as a which advocates for conservative higher “This is a political board. You have to have is now a U.S. senator, wrote in a memo to a member of the system’s sneak attack. But all motions were passed. education policies. “If you attended ties to the Legislature.” legislative leaders. Board of Governors, invoked The September showdown hinted at a meetings prior to the last five years, all That was the case when Democrats By 2014, the BOG’s new majority was the 20th-century’s leading larger change washing over the Board of you would see is a series of yes votes. It controlled the process. It was natural making its ideology felt. It capped at 15 conservative stateswoman. Governors. Since Republicans took control wasn’t clear that the board was adding that, when the Legislature changed hands percent the amount of tuition revenue It was September 2017. Fetzer, a of the Legislature in 2011, they have any real oversight to the UNC System. in 2011, the new Republican leadership that could be set aside for need-based Icorporate lobbyist, was a newcomer to incrementally appointed BOG members Now, you’ve got a board that is taking that would follow suit. financial aid, arguing that this would help the board, which is elected by the N.C. whose philosophies break sharply from oversight role seriously.” The first rounds of Republican keep tuition rates low. It launched a review General Assembly and sets policy for many of their predecessors. One person’s oversight, though, can appointments sparked bitter debate. that led to the 2015 closure of Carolina’s governing the state’s 17 public institutions Many favor running the system more be another’s micromanagement. Critics, Democratic lawmakers said their party law school’s Center on Poverty, Work and of higher learning. But he was hardly new like a business. They talk about lowering including some current and former BOG was shut out and noted that new members Opportunity. Both decisions came under to politics. He got that start in the 1980s at In his second Board of Governors’ tuition and creating a leaner system members, say the board has overstepped were overwhelmingly white and male. fire for how they could affect low-income the National Congressional Club, which meeting, Thomas Fetzer read a focused more tightly on its core functions. its role and undercut the authority of Republicans replied that these were the North Carolinians, first by limiting college raised millions of dollars for then-U.S. definition of consensus by one of “Higher education, just like health Spellings and the chancellors, often spoils of victory. “I would just remind you assistance and then by shutting down a Sen. Jesse Helms, a pugilistic opponent his heroes, the late British Prime care, is under a tremendous amount of around issues outside their expertise. of one thing,” GOP Rep. Edgar Starnes privately funded advocacy, training and of civil rights laws, HIV funding and Minister Margaret Thatcher. “The disruption,” Vice Chair Harry Smith Jr., “We are blurring the lines between said in 2013. “The Republicans won the research center. foreign aid. Fetzer later served as mayor of process of abandoning all beliefs, a business executive, said in September. policy and management,” BOG member election. We are in control.” The board’s most dramatic decision Raleigh, where he pushed for tax cuts and, principles, values and policies in “There is a tremendous amount of Joe Knott ’74 (’80 JD) warned last fall. That year, appointees included one came in 2015: It fired then-president Tom like Helms, campaigned against publicly search of something in which no one opportunity to do things quicker, smarter, “This, long term, is a recipe for chaos. … then-Democrat, hotel developer Doyle Ross ’75 (JD), a Democrat, without expla- funded art. More recently, he chaired the faster and better.” We are not equipped to run this Parrish ’76. In his response, then- nation. Members praised Ross’ tenure and believes but to which no one objects. state’s Republican Party. Board members also have vigorously institution.” House Speaker Thom Tillis pointed out insisted the move was not political; BOG Now, at his second Board of Governors’ Raging internal conflict is a long-held questioned how the University System op- The divide is among Republicans, not that Parrish had donated generously emails obtained by The News & Observer meeting, Fetzer had a message for American tradition. ...” During the erates day to day, from the size of Spellings’ along party lines (the 28-member board showed the firing was privately applauded his colleagues: The days of peaceable Constitutional Convention of 1787, staff to the role of civil rights advocacy. has one Democrat, and five are listed as by Republican politicians. consensus were over. “I wanted to read you “some states packed up and went They’ve done so in a hard-charging unaffiliated). Knott and Grainger, like If the new board was moving toward a definition of consensus from one of my home. There was anger. There was style that occasionally breaks into open most board members, are Republicans. congruence with GOP legislators, heroes,” he said, naming the late British passion. There was emotion. But look conflict. “This board is the most divided So is Bissette, the chair, and Spellings, there was still room for conflict. That prime minister Margaret Thatcher. at the result.” board that I’ve ever been on and ever who in 2017 told a TV reporter, “Let me became clear during the hiring of “ ‘Consensus: the process of abandoning seen,” businessman Frank Grainger, the manage the enterprise and let them set Ross’ replacement. Spellings, a Texan all beliefs, principles, values and policies board’s longest-serving member, said in policy.” So is former BOG Vice Chair who served as secretary of education in search of something in which no one (’82 JD) without the full board’s approval a November committee meeting. The Roger Aiken, an investment banker under President George W. Bush, was a believes but to which no one objects.’ and raise the possibility of removing the division resurfaced in January, when two who — like many others — suggests the pragmatist who helped craft the No Child “Raging internal conflict is a long-held Confederate statue for safety reasons. members criticized Bissette for writing an board is flexing its political muscle for the Left Behind Act of 2001, which passed American tradition,” Fetzer continued. “The letter exuded a weakness and op-ed column calling for the board to stay wrong reasons. Congress with bipartisan support. Her During the Constitutional Convention hand wringing that does not accurately out of both political controversies and the “Every August, in every one of those moderation on some social issues rankled of 1787, “some states packed up and went reflect the Board’s opinion,” the letter day-to-day management of the system. “A 17 campuses, parents drop their kids off,” conservatives; once, asked about the home. There was anger. There was passion. read. “We would have preferred a strong lot of us felt that there was an accusation said Aiken, who served until last year. decline of traditional two-parent families, There was emotion. But look at the result.” statement … that while our campuses have leveled at members of the board,” said “Those parents don’t really care who’s she answered, “So what?” Fetzer already had provoked some long been a hospitable forum and meeting member Marty Kotis ’91. on the Board of Governors. They want Spellings impressed Joan MacNeill, a internal conflict of his own. In August, place for the peaceful dissemination of Bissette, who has remained publicly a better life for their kids. And so, at the Republican who chaired the BOG’s search he helped draft an email scolding UNC contrasting views, lawlessness, vandalism, diplomatic about the tension, has been end of the day, I tried to ask myself, every committee. “My belief was that we were System President Margaret Spellings and and violence will not be tolerated and franker in private. “The noose is tight- decision we made, ‘Is that in their best LEE DELPHINE BY ILLUSTRATIONS tasked to find [and] interview the best BOG Chair Lou Bissette ’68 (JD) for their will be punished to the fullest extent of ening!” the chair wrote to BOG member interest?’ I’m not the least bit interested qualified pool of candidates and to hire reaction to growing Silent Sam protests the law.” George Sywassink, in an email obtained in power for power’s stake. From that “Higher education, just like health someone who would take the university in Chapel Hill. The email, signed by 15 At that meeting, Fetzer and his allies by the news service N.C. Policy Watch, standpoint, I’m disappointed with what care, is under a tremendous amount to the next level,” said MacNeill, a retired of the board’s 28 members — including offered a series of surprise motions aimed after the Silent Sam message arrived.