In a significant development, the president of the public university system in North Carolina has placed a temporary hold on the authority of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s board of trustees over athletic matters. This decision was prompted by concerns that the trustees were acting outside their defined roles.

On January 16, the system president, Peter Hans, communicated with the trustees’ chair, John Preyer, highlighting instances where board members seemed to operate independently of the campus administration on issues that fall under the chancellor’s jurisdiction. Hans pointed out that such actions could potentially create confusion regarding authority during business dealings involving the athletic departments, which may affect current, past, and future personnel involved.

The context for this directive arose after the board’s criticism regarding the dismissal of football coach Mack Brown, coupled with their involvement in the hiring process for his replacement, Super Bowl champion coach Bill Belichick. Additionally, the trustees sought to conduct an audit of the athletics department last spring while questioning the information provided by athletic director Bubba Cunningham, despite Chancellor Lee Roberts publicly supporting Cunningham’s direction.

The board also made its stance known on issues related to conference affiliations, particularly opposing the Atlantic Coast Conference’s decision to approve expansion in 2023. Although it’s standard procedure for trustees to approve contracts for coaches and other athletic officials, Hans’ correspondence indicated that they would no longer partake in negotiations, reviews, or approvals related to these contracts. Instead, all such matters will now be handled directly through Hans’ office. He further advised the trustees to concentrate on oversight responsibilities and provide guidance to Chancellor Roberts concerning the topics within their domain.