Incoming UNCG Chancellor Stresses Importance Of Culture

The incoming chancellor of UNC Greensboro made his first on-campus comments Wednesday. Frank Gilliam focused largely on the culture of the university during his state of UNCG address. He says culture is the most important component of any successful organization.

Gilliam drew a large applause when he talked about transparency as a key value, saying a lack of it can eat away at a university.

"There has to be some clarity about how things get done," he says. "There has to be some clarity about how decisions are made."  

In November, the university held a two-hour forum to discuss the core values that define the university. UNCG officials said then that a committee would present results from the forum in the spring. A university spokesman told WFDD Wednesday that the committee had not completed evaluating the results from that forum and there is no timetable to do so.

Gilliam's comments were for the most part upbeat, but he acknowledges that challenges remain, including a nationwide trend of dwindling state funds for higher education.

"Here in North Carolina that number's down about 23 percent between 2008 and 2015," he says. "Declining state support is a reality - it is  as some people say 'the new normal.'"

But there was some good news from the event. Enrollment is up, which means new hires can be made, and raises can be made to the faculty and staff for the first time in years.

Gilliam was hired as chancellor in May after a national search. He had been a dean at UCLA. He doesn't officially take over as chancellor of UNCG until next month.