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SOURCE: Charlotte Observer
01.18.07
Now, Mr. Bowles, time to execute
EDITORIAL
When Erskine Bowles stepped up as UNC system president last January, nobody knew exactly what to expect with a former investment banker and former White House chief of staff at the helm of North Carolina's public universities.
Now, there's little doubt. In Mr. Bowles' first year he instituted reforms that focus on efficiency and on aligning the resources of the state's universities with the state's urgent economic and social needs.
In year two a tough test lies ahead, as he executes the changes and policies he has pushed -- and he is called on to deliver the state funding needed to operate a high-quality, affordable system of higher education.
Mr. Bowles described his first year this way in a recent report to the UNC Board of Governors: "We've worked hard to focus energy on big policy issues and get the minutiae off the table."
We agree. That's been a welcome distinction of his administration, and it has allowed the UNC Board to make broad change on touchy issues such as instituting a cap on tuition and fee increases and cutting administrative staff.
It's also why the board has spent so much time and money this year on hard, basic questions:
• What kinds of jobs will North Carolina's economy need in 20 years, and how should the university system organize to meet those needs?
• What kinds of efficiencies will save UNC money without hurting the quality of services?
• What outcomes should the university system use to gauge its success or failure?
Those questions, and the policies that come from them, are critical to positioning one of North Carolina's most influential -- and most costly -- resources for the future. Setting a direction is phase one. Phase two -- executing -- will be a lot more difficult. Mr. Bowles has said that himself. Consider:
• Tuition increase requests for at least 13 of the 16 universities will test Mr. Bowles' political skills -- and the board's new policy -- immediately. The ceiling ties the percentage of increases allowed to increases in legislative funding for universities.
• A tighter than expected state budget will test Mr. Bowles' ability to fund the top priority the UNC system has set under his leadership: $55 million in additional state student aid to address unmet financial need and rising student debt.
• An accountability plan for campuses now being prepared will challenge the good will Mr. Bowles has carefully cultivated if results are less than promising.
In North Carolina, the president of the university system is an influential figure, perhaps second only to the governor. That's because the state's public universities are vital to its economy and its cultural life. So far, Mr. Bowles has brought to that post the practical eye of a businessman and the passion of someone who believes that public universities should serve the public and be held accountable for producing results. It has been a good year.
