Karen Weaver sits down with the News & Observer higher education reporter Korie Dean to discuss a brewing governance battle within the University of North Carolina (UNC) System. They explore a recent controversy involving UNC System President Peter Hans, who called out campus trustees for overstepping their authority—particularly in the high-profile hiring of legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick as UNC Chapel Hill’s new football coach.
Dean unpacks the power struggles between trustees, chancellors, and the Board of Governors, shedding light on a pattern of trustees asserting influence beyond their advisory role. From athletic department budgets to the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, this episode examines how political and financial pressures are reshaping university leadership.
