The UNC Policy Manual

300.1.4

Adopted 02/11/00

Amended 11/08/02

Technical Corrections 09/29/21

Policy on Campus State Relations Officers

As set forth in The Code, the president is the University’s representative to all governmental bodies. The president is presumed by the Governor and members of the General Assembly to direct all activities on behalf of all parts of the University and to be answerable for them. These are the most important principles in ensuring effective communication and advocacy of the interests of the University and its constituent campuses.

Under the direction of the president, the vice president for public affairs and his or her staff have primary responsibility for representation of the University before governmental bodies. They may be assisted in this effort by campus officers who shall act at the request and under the direction of the vice president and his or her staff.

The chancellors may designate, in consultation with the president and the vice president for public affairs, a campus officer to carry out the functions of state relations officer. The campus state relations function shall constitute no more than 25 percent of each designee’s time, and no campus title shall refer to government or state relations. The duties and responsibilities of the campus designee with regard to state relations shall be to assist the president and his or her designees with building support for the University’s budget request and legislative priorities. It is the expectation of the Board that the state relations function shall be a minor part of each such designee’s responsibilities.

In each instance, the individual so designated shall, in addition to reporting to his or her campus supervisor report to the vice president for public affairs solely with regard to any state relations responsibilities. The vice president shall provide to the campus supervisor an annual performance evaluation of the campus officer with state relations responsibilities.

The president shall take necessary and appropriate actions to implement this policy and shall report on such implementation to the Committee on University Personnel. The president shall also report to the committee periodically on the efficacy of the structure established pursuant to this policy, and shall make recommendations regarding the continuance and/or modification of the policy.