UNC-Chapel Hill picks Lee Roberts as permanent chancellor

Background: Roberts, who has an undergraduate degree from Duke University and a law degree from Georgetown University, is the co-founder of the Raleigh investment firm SharpVue Capital.

• He was appointed to the UNC Board of Governors in 2021 and was state budget director under Gov. Pat McCrory from 2014-2016.

Driving the news: Hans selected Roberts over three other unnamed candidates.

• "He has a deep respect for the university's traditions and excellence, but also a conviction that Carolina has room to grow and improve," Hans said in a statement.

Between the lines: In his short time as interim, Roberts won approval from influential Republicans in the state that have large sway over the UNC System's Board of Governors, including state Senate leader Phil Berger — especially for his how he handled Pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

• However, his decision to temporarily close the Campus Y in response to the protests drew criticism from several faculty members and students, as previously reported by the News & Observer.

By the numbers: Roberts will be UNC's 13th chancellor in its nearly 235-year history.

• He follows Kevin Guskiewicz, who left last year for Michigan State, and will be the school's fourth chancellor since 2013.