Lee Roberts (finance executive)
Lee Roberts | |
|---|---|
 Roberts in 2024 | |
| Interim Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | |
Acting | |
| Assumed office January 12, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Kevin Guskiewicz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lee Harriss Roberts[1] 1968 (age 55–56) |
| Education | Duke University (BS) Georgetown University (JD) |
Lee Harriss Roberts (born 1968) is an American finance executive who has served as interim chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since January 12, 2024.
Early life and career
[edit]Roberts was born to journalists Steven and Cokie Roberts. His mother was the daughter of Hale and Lindy Boggs. He grew up in Washington, D.C., and received a bachelor's degree in political science from Duke University and a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University.[2]
Roberts spent 30 years working in finance and real estate investment. He was a partner at Cherokee Investment Partners and spent nine years with Morgan Stanley. He then became managing director of Piedmont Community Bank Holdings.[3] From 2014 to 2016, he was the budget director for North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory.[2] He then founded SharpVue Capital, a private investment firm in Raleigh.[2] For the five years before 2024, he taught budgeting at Duke University.[4]
Since 2019, Roberts has served on the corporate board of Variety Wholesalers, a retail-store company owned by Art Pope, a prominent conservative donor.[5]
From 2021 to 2024, he served as a member of the UNC board of governors and chair of the budget committee.[6]
Interim Chancellor of UNC
[edit]On December 15, 2023, it was announced that Roberts would succeed Kevin Guskiewicz as the interim chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill.[2] He's described his motivation as steming from a "family tradition of public service" and his deep commitment to North Carolina, which he first moved to at age 17.[2]
Student opposition to his appointment
[edit]
On January 12, 2024, a coalition of student groups published an op-ed in the university's newspaper titled "UNC deserves better, Lee Roberts ain't it," highlighting Roberts' lack of experience in educational administration and actions during his tenure as state budget director that were perceived as contrary to the interests of higher education and inclusivity.[7] A month later, another op-ed was published by five UNC students titled "'Nonpartisan' Lee Roberts receives income from far-right megadonor’s company" highlighting a conflict between his claimed commitment nonpartisanship and his financial ties to conservative donor Art Pope.[8] Following this publication, Roberts stated in an interview that he would not be taking income from his board position on Art Pope's company Variety Wholesalers during his time as interim chancellor, and that serving on a corporate board has no bearing on his nonpartisanship.[5]
In early April 2024 a student group formed in opposition to Roberts' chancellorship, TransparUNCy, held a teach-in on the connections between Roberts and Pope, as well as the history of UNC System governance.[9] Nearly 75 students attended, prompting TransparUNCy to run the teach in again.
At the TransparUNCy Teach-in: Part 2, 130 students attended and Roberts made an impromptu appearance where he reaffirmed his commitment to nonpartisanship to the crowd .[10][11] Roberts also expressed a broad support for diversity but refrained from taking a definitive stance on the university trustees' anti-DEI comments and similar legislative efforts in Florida and Alabama. His stated lack of knowledge about Florida and Alabama DEI legislation drew criticism from student organizers, who believe that lack knowledge of national higher education debates makes him unsuitable for the chancellorship.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ "Miss McDonald And Mr. Roberts". The New York Times. June 29, 1997. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Hudson, Susan (December 15, 2023). "Former state budget director named interim chancellor | UNC-Chapel Hill". University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ^ "Lee Roberts". North Carolina Leadership Forum. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ^ "Lee Roberts Named Interim Chancellor at UNC-Chapel Hill – UNC System". www.northcarolina.edu. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ^ a b "Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts assures connection to conservative donor's company is nonpartisan". Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ "UNC names Duke grad Lee Roberts interim chancellor". WRAL. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ^ "Op-ed: UNC deserves better, Lee Roberts ain't it". Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ "Op-ed: "Nonpartisan" Lee Roberts receives income from far-right megadonor's company". Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ Killian, Joe (April 2, 2024). "At UNC-Chapel Hill, interim chancellor selection attracts growing student opposition • NC Newsline". NC Newsline. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ "Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts speaks at TransparUNCy teach-in". Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Killian, Joe (April 11, 2024). "UNC-Chapel Hill Trustees could begin to defund DEI efforts • NC Newsline". NC Newsline. Retrieved April 12, 2024.