Office of the Chancellor
Statement Regarding Mrs. Mary Easley's Appointment at NCSU
My name appears in several e-mails and documents posted on N.C. State University's website regarding the appointment of Mrs. Mary Easley. This statement is intended to clarify my role in that portion of her appointment related to teaching responsibilities in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
I arrived at N.C. State in 2001, as dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and remained in that position until spring 2006 when I assumed a position at the University of Oregon.
It is my understanding that Mrs. Mary Easley had been hired in 1994 as an adjunct faculty member in N.C. State's Administrative Officers Management Program (AOMP), which was administered through the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. She was compensated for these duties on a per course basis, consistent with the college's practice.
At some point during spring of 2005, Chancellor Oblinger indicated to me that Mrs. Easley was interested in exploring additional opportunities at N.C. State. I told him that I would be willing to consider the possibility of additional teaching responsibilities, based on the needs of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, consistent with our policies on the appointment of adjunct faculty.
On May 17, 2005, at Provost Larry Nielson’s request, I met with him, Dean Ira Weiss and Mrs. Easley to discuss her interest in additional opportunities at N.C. State. At that meeting Mrs. Easley expressed interest in teaching within the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. I referred the issue of specific teaching responsibilities to Dr. James Svara, head of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration.
I was not involved in discussions with N.C. State administrators regarding duties outside of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences or with parties external to the university regarding her teaching responsibilities or any aspects of her position in the Office of the Provost.
In summer 2006, I left N.C. State to assume the position of Senior Vice President and Provost at the University of Oregon, and served there until becoming chancellor of UNCG on August 1, 2008.