UNC Chief Executive Officers

These are the people who have served as chief executive officers
of the Chapel Hill campus, the Consolidated University and the UNC System.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA: (Chartered 1789, students admitted 1795, first graduates 1798)

PRESIDING PROFESSOR:

The Rev. David Ker, 1794 – 96 (first professor — languages)

Charles Wilson Harris, 1796 (July-Dec.) (professor of math)

The Rev. Joseph Caldwell, 1796 – 97 (professor of math)

James S. Gillaspie, 1797– 99 (professor of natural philosophy)

The Rev. Joseph Caldwell, 1799 – 1804

PRESIDENT:

The Rev. Joseph Caldwell, 1804 – 12 (first president)

The Rev. Robert Hett Chapman, 1813 – 16

The Rev. Joseph Caldwell, 1816 – 35 (fourth term as CEO)

Elisha Mitchell (acting), 1835 (Feb.-Dec.)

David Lowry Swain, 1835 – 68 (first alumnus, class of 1825)

Solomon Pool, 1869– 74 (class of 1853; MA in 1856)

The University closed during Reconstruction in 1870, with the last graduating class in 1868. Solomon Pool retained the title of president until 1874, even though the University was not functioning. UNC was reorganized and reopened in 1875.

CONSOLIDATION 1932:

The University of North Carolina, N.C. State College of Agriculture & Engineering at Raleigh, and the College for Women at Greensboro comprised “The Greater University.” Consolidation brought changes in the titles of the CEO for the Chapel Hill campus as follows:

VICE PRESIDENT:

Robert Burton House, 1932 – 34 (class of ’ 16)

DEAN OF ADMINISTRATION:

Robert Burton House, 1934 – 45

CHANCELLOR:

Robert Burton House, 1945 – 57

William Brantley Aycock, 1957 – 64 (class of ’ 37 MA; ’ 48 JD)

Paul F. Sharp, 1964 – 66

J. Carlyle Sitterson, 1966 – 72 (class of ’ 31; MA ’ 32; PhD ’ 37)

N. Ferebee Taylor, 1972 – 80 (class of ’ 42)

Christopher C. Fordham III, 1980 – 88 (class of ’ 47; CMED ’ 49)

Paul Hardin, 1988 – 95

Michael Hooker, 1995 – 99 (class of ’ 69)

William O. McCoy (acting and interim), 1999– 2000 (class of ’ 55)

James Moeser, 2000 – June 2008

Holden Thorp, took office July 1, 2008 (class of ’ 86)

Charles Phillips, chair of the faculty, 1875 – 76

Kemp Plummer Battle, 1876– 91 (class of 1849; MA in 1852)

George Tayloe Winston, 1891– 96 (class of 1870)

Edwin Anderson Alderman, 1896 – 1900 (class of 1882, PhB)

Francis Preston Venable, 1900 – 14

Edward Kidder Graham (acting), 1913 – 14 (class of 1898, PhB)

Edward Kidder Graham, 1914 – 18

M.H. Stacy, chair of the faculty, 1918 – 19

Harry Woodburn Chase, chair of the faculty, 1919 (Jan.–June)

Harry Woodburn Chase, 1919 – 30

Frank Porter Graham, 1930 – 32 (Unconsolidated) (class of ’09)

The Rev. Joseph Caldwell

Francis Preston Venable

Frank Porter Graham ’09

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE CONSOLIDATED UNIVERSITY:

PRESIDENT:

Frank Porter Graham, 1932 – 49

William D. Carmichael (acting), 1949 – 50

Gordon Gray, 1950– 55 (class of ’ 30)

J. Harris Purks (acting), 1955 – 56

William C. Friday (acting), 1956 – 57 (class of ’ 48 LLB)

William C. Friday, 1957 – 72

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM: Reorganized by the N.C. General Assembly in 1972, with the UNC System for Higher Education comprising 16 campuses.