Odum Institute looks to reform

A public service program housed at UNC and created by $10 million in federal money is reorganizing to repair confusions in leadership and the program’s purpose.

U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick alerted UNC-system President Erskine Bowles to concerns about the Citizen Soldier Support Program in June 2008.

Those concerns led to an internal review and audit, which Chancellor Holden Thorp presented Wednesday to the Board of Trustees.

“My view is that this program has serious flaws, and I don’t think we’ve given the federal government the best return on its investment,” Thorp said at the trustees’ audit and finance committee meeting.

The goal of the program, operated by the Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, is to provide better access to community support and behavioral health services for members of the military reserves and National Guard.

The group’s leadership is already implementing the report’s recommendations to cement its leadership under one director, return its focus to North Carolina and strengthen military relationships.

The report concluded that confusion over the responsibilities of leadership positions was limiting effectiveness.

“No matter how competent and earnest the individuals might be, there is confusion … about who is in charge,” the report stated.

In response to the recommendations, Principal Investigator Peter Leousis has been named the program’s director and has pledged to devote more time to its operation.

The program will also seek to reconnect with North Carolinians before moving on to long-term national goals that have obscured its purpose.

Tony Waldrop, vice chancellor for research and development, said the recommendations will absolutely help increase the program’s effectiveness.

“We’re certainly committed to helping,” Waldrop said.

“If we didn’t think we could do that through the changes we’ve made, we wouldn’t want to continue the program.”


Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.