CHAPEL HILL— UNC System President Margaret Spellings is set to leave office next year. On Wednesday, she sat down with Spectrum News for a revealing exit interview.
- Spellings, 60, is breaking her five-year contract and leaving her post after almost three years in office
- The Texas native talked about her legacy, believing her biggest footprint would be making higher education affordable and accessible
- Spellings says she doesn't know what she'll do next. Right now, the plan is to move back to Dallas and continue work in public policy.
“We've gotten a lot done, the strategic plan, put a lot of infrastructure in place,” she said.
Spellings, 60, is breaking her five-year contract and leaving her post after almost three years in office. She wouldn't offer any specifics for her exit.
“As Kenny Rogers said, 'You got to know when to hold them and know when to fold them,'” said Spellings.
The Texas native talked about her legacy, believing her biggest footprint would be making higher education affordable and accessible like the N.C. Promise program.
“Which is, as you know, $500 per semester tuition at three of our institutions. But not only that, we have kept tuition flat,” said Spellings.
However, there's unfinished work. Spellings would like to see My Future N.C. become a reality. The goal is to get children on track for a post-secondary education.
“What we really need to do is create kind of a movement around that continued ongoing focus.”
Spellings says she doesn't know what she'll do next. Right now, the plan is to move back to Dallas and continue work in public policy. UNC Health Care C.E.O. Bill Roper will take office in January in the interim. Spellings will serve as a consultant until March.