UNC lost two leaders in higher education this week in William B. Aycock, the chancellor from 1957 to 1964, and Elson Floyd, a former UNC administrator who went on to become a national leader in higher education.
While the University community mourns these losses, it is an opportunity to reflect on the parallels between these points in history. Floyd grew up in segregated Henderson, N.C. Neither of his parents graduated high school, but he went on to earn a doctorate in higher education from UNC and became the first African-American president of the University of Missouri.
During his leadership of three universities, Floyd believed in the transformative power of higher education.
As president of Washington State University, he fought tirelessly to expand Washington’s educational opportunities at a time when the state was facing fiscal challenges. Floyd went out of his way to connect with students, focusing particularly on issues faced by minority students on campus. Under his leadership, the number of students of color nearly doubled.
While chancellor, Aycock managed a large-scale athletics scandal. Amidst NCAA penalties for recruiting violations, Aycock chose to suspend a star basketball player for receiving $75 from a gambler to throw games. Students upset by the move decided to protest outside Aycock’s house in the middle of the night. Aycock held a town hall-style meeting with the protestors in Gerrard Hall that night. In the end, he stood by his decision, but he felt it was important to have a conversation with students about integrity in college athletics.
After the General Assembly banned all members or past members of the Communist Party from speaking on state university campuses, Aycock traveled the state advocating for free speech on campus. He also spoke before a joint session of the legislature to stand up for the core values of a liberal arts education.
The University still faces many of the issues Aycock and Floyd faced. How will the University create a balanced athletic culture? How can the University support students of color? How can the University convince state legislators of the importance of a liberal arts education?
We need strong leadership to answer these questions. We need an administration that will relate to students and advocate strongly for the principles of public higher education.
