Legislators avoid politics in selection

Legislators at the N.C. General Assembly say they will attempt to avoid wading into regional and partisan politics when they select new members for the Board of Governors, the governing body of UNC-system universities.

State law mandates that the legislature nominate 16 members every two years for four-year terms to the board.

Two board seats recently vacated by Bill Daughtridge and Aldona Wos, who joined Gov. Pat McCrory’s administration during his transition to the governor’s mansion, also need to be filled.

Legislators voted to create nominating committees last week.

Since 2011, when Republicans assumed majorities in both chambers of the legislature, Democrats have raised concerns that the board nominees were confined to the GOP.

But Paul Fulton, a board member since 2009, said he is not concerned that the nomination process will be mired in politics.

“I think what we want are people who want to help the state,” Fulton said. “I’m a Republican and I was appointed by a Democratic Senate.”

Rep. Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, a member of the House committee, said he wants nominees that will represent North Carolina’s diversity.

“What I’d like to see is we’ve got some diversity in terms of region, diversity in terms of thought,” Saine said.

Some constituents have accused the board of exhibiting favoritism toward the system’s flagship universities, said Rep. Ken Waddell, D-Bladen.

“There needs to be fair representation of all the universities because there are different needs at each university,” he said.

Other qualities legislators will consider in nominees include an understanding of the financial constraints universities face in a difficult economic climate.

“The wish list has to be whittled down to wants versus needs,” Saine said. “We certainly have an obligation to the citizens here to provide educational opportunity at the lowest price.”

Rep. Bryan Holloway, R-Rockingham, said nominees need to have students’ best interests in mind.

“We just want the university system to train kids for the jobs that are out there,” Holloway said. “Again, the most important thing just being that education be near and dear to their hearts.”

Waddell said it is too early in the process to know whether the selections will involve party politics.

“I can only wait and see whether or not there is a hidden agenda in this or if this is actually, legitimately a committee that’s going to do what committees do, which is help pick the best candidates,” he said.

Saine said that despite the concerns, the focus should be on the nominees’ qualifications.

“I’m sure there will be talk here and there of partisanship,” he said. “I don’t want to see it get muddled down to that.”

Contact the desk editor at state@dailytarheel.com.