Nontraditional Pathways to the University Presidency: The Lived Experiences of Contemporary Chancellors in the University of North Carolina System

Abstract

Over the last decade, American higher education has been negatively impacted by crisis after crisis. Events such as The Great Recession of 2008 have forced institutions of higher education to do more with less. Due to these impacts, the expertise and decision-making strategies of higher education leaders have come under question, leading an increased number of institutions to view candidates coming from nontraditional backgrounds, in areas such as business, politics, and law, as viable candidates to serve as president or chancellor of an institution. This study aims to explore the lived experiences of three chancellors in the UNC System that have nontraditional backgrounds between 2012-2018. The selected timeframe was used because of the nine chancellor vacancies in The University of North Carolina (UNC) System during the time, three were filled with candidates that have nontraditional backgrounds. The researcher will conduct a qualitative study under the guidelines of a narrative design to interview the three nontraditional chancellors in the UNC System to explore their lived experiences since taking office. The researcher will also conduct interviews with two UNC System administrators to explore their perceptions of nontraditional leadership within the UNC System. These interviews will then be coded and analyzed to identify expected emerging themes of the lived experiences of the nontraditional chancellors in the UNC System.