All 16 chancellors signed a letter that was addressed to members of the N.C. General Assembly. It received its final signatures Monday and will be sent to lawmakers in the next few days.
The N.C. Senate passed a bill last month calling for the creation of a commission that would study the BOG's size, structure, mission and powers. The N.C. House has yet to act on the legislation.
Former N.C. Govs. Jim Hunt, James Holshouser, Jim Martin and Bob Scott and former UNC-system Presidents Bill Friday and C.D. Spangler also sent a letter several weeks ago to all members of the legislature, criticizing the bill and asking them to reject it.
According to the most recent letter, state leaders and University supporters are concerned about the study's impact.
"We fear that a hurried study of this type could do unintended harm to public higher education in this state," the letter stated.
The chancellors met before Friday's BOG meeting to determine the letter's content, UNC-Charlotte Chancellor Jim Woodward said Monday. Several chancellors later drafted the letter.
The discussion was prompted by a letter N.C. State University Chancellor Marye Anne Fox presented to the other 15 UNC-system chancellors Friday morning outlining her concerns about the study, Woodward said.
Woodward also offered arguments for why he believes the study is poorly timed, citing recent enrollment increases, pending budget cuts and a large-scale construction program spurred by the recent approval of a $3.1 billion bond package as more important issues.
"The system right now is very burdened," he said. "This is not the right time, in our opinion, to undertake an extensive review of the governance structure of the University of North Carolina."
