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Duplin County hospitality businesswoman, Wendy Murphy, was recently appointed by the House of Representatives to serve as UNC System Board of Governors Chair, making history as chair-elect of the first all-female led board. She is also the first Duplin resident to hold the prestigious role.
“I’m honored to be elected chair at a time when three women will assume leadership roles as Board officers for the first time in history,” Murphy told Duplin Journal in an email. “This is a critical moment for higher education, and I’m blessed to serve alongside Vice Chair-elect Kellie Hunt Blue and Secretary-elect Pearl Burris Floyd. Together, we have meaningful experience on university boards in North Carolina, and I know we will always keep students at the forefront of our minds when making decisions about the university.”
Murphy, a native of Rose Hill who currently lives in Wallace, will assume her new role on July 1, She will be taking over the role held by longtime Board of Governors’ chair Randy Ramsey. Murphy, who is serving her second four-year term on the Board of Governors, told Duplin Journal she is hopeful the legislature will appoint her to serve one more four-year term, which will allow her to complete her time as chair. Board of Governors are appointed by the House or Senate and can serve three four-year terms.
Murphy’s immediate goals, as she assumes her new role, are to keep the board’s focus on quality education, student success and affordability.
“These are key themes in our strategic plan, but we also have specific goals that include raising graduation rates, improving campus efficiency, and increasing enrollment of adult and military learners and students from underserved counties. We have an enviable track record of keeping tuition low and lowering student debt – I want to maintain that. And we want to produce more graduates in high-demand fields such as engineering, healthcare and teaching,” said Murphy.
Murphy, a native of Rose Hill, is a big advocate of approaching literacy standards aggressively and arming future teachers with the correct knowledge and tools to teach students using proven methods.
“First, all teachers must enter the classroom with a foundation in literacy and the science of reading. That starts with our university’s schools of education, which are the single largest source of teachers in our public schools. For years now, the Board and the state have been focused on early grade literacy, and rightly so, when 68% of fourth graders are not proficient in reading. Science has settled the question on how children learn to read, and it’s vital that we prepare our future teachers to correctly use these methods,” said Murphy, adding that she has been a proponent of attacking literacy standards aggressively. “There are signs that we have begun to make progress, but there’s still a long way to go.”
When asked about the challenges that come with her new role, Murphy stated, “It’s easy to be distracted by issues that make headlines – and there are many these days in the world of higher education. But we really have to remain focused on our core of teaching, research and public service. And we must constantly deliver the message to North Carolinians that earning a degree or credential beyond high school is critical for their success and the future of our economy and our society. There is a significant return on investment for students who earn a postsecondary degree at an affordable university, and that’s what we’re all about.”
Murphy, who is a former teacher, served on the UNC Wilmington Board of Trustees for 10 years, among other organizations she has served on are Duplin County Education Foundation, Duplin County Community Foundation, Duplin Hospital Board of Directors, and Harrells Christian Academy Board of Directors.
