Ross takes his seat as the fifth president of UNC, focusing his strategic plan on goals related to adult educational attainment, online education, financial efficiency, and research. He serves from 2011 to 2016.
Born and raised in Greensboro, Thomas Ross received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Davidson College and graduated with honors from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law. Prior to becoming president of the UNC System, Ross served as president of Davidson College, executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, director of the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts, and a Superior Court judge, among many other roles.