2008 Woodie Awards
New chancellor aboard
Kiara Jones
Issue date: 3/27/03 Section: News
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Dr. Rosemary DePaolo was picked by the UNC Board of Governors out of about 130 applicants to be UNCW's new chancellor. DePaolo will replace current chancellor James R. Leutze, who announced in July that he would be retiring at the close of this academic year.
DePaolo seems to be the number one choice for UNCW. She has been described as tenacious, creative, timeless and focused.
"I will not rest until UNCW is not only recognized as one of the top 10 universities, but until we are preeminent, in the southeast at least," DePaolo said. DePaolo earned her bachelors' degree in English from Queens College of the City University of New York, and was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at Rutgers where she earned her master's and doctoral degrees in 18th-century English Literature. She was president of Georgia College and State University for six years.
DePaolo brings outstanding leadership and administration skills and phenomenal skills in fundraising in the private and public sectors. She and her husband, Fred Wharton, will reside in Kenan House.
Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean of Students Terrence Curran expressed his excitement about DePaolo's position. He commented that he wanted the students to expect a chancellor who would be very visible on campus, ask for their input and get them engaged in the happenings around campus.
"I would like to see her continue to build on the theme of community," Curran said. "Growing larger does not mean we need to loose that." Curran also commented that "She showed a vision of understanding of what an undergraduate program is all about."
The UNCW Chancellor Search Committee, a group consisting of faculty advisors representing each department, two student representatives, alumni and distinguished members of the community, conducted the search for the new chancellor by placing ads in major academic journals of higher education, said Joi Cox, sophomore here at UNCW who served as a student representative on the committee.
"I was the students' voice and represented basically anyone else's perspective," Cox said. "Everyone was on the same playing field (in the committee)." Cox was asked to join the search committee after serving as a student Orientation Leader.
The search had different levels, the first having about 130 applicants, where they were weeded out according to their resume and how they fit UNCW's standards for a chancellor. Two months ago there were 15 quarter-finalists, and out of the 17 votes from the committee, DePaolo received all 17. DePaolo earned unanimous votes from the committee throughout all of the stages.
Because the search was "very frustrating" as Cox put it, Curran said he was absolutely glad the search is over. But, Cox said, "From the people we had to choose from, this is definitely the best choice."