A year as dean in review: A Q&A with Aimee Wall

In 2023, the School of Government encountered significant challenges and achieved notable successes, including the appointment of our new dean, Aimee N. Wall.

Below, Dean Wall reflects on her first year of tenure.

What were some unexpected opportunities that arose during your first year as dean?

Each fall break, a mix of faculty and senior administrators from across campus participate in the Tar Heel Bus Tour. Dean Emeritus Mike Smith was instrumental in establishing this tradition many years ago, and I was invited this year to host one of the two buses. At the School of Government, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to connect daily with communities from the mountains to the coast, often teaching in regional programs or spending dedicated time in a particular county, town, or judicial district. The Bus Tour opens the door for many others across campus to learn more about the state, build interdisciplinary relationships with colleagues, and identify opportunities to increase our impact through engaged scholarship and service.

At almost every stop on our tour, we learned about UNC projects and relationships. I was particularly excited to spend time with local government and community leaders in many different areas, such as Spencer, Kannapolis, Canton, Old Fort, and Shelby. So many people I talked with felt a personal connection with the School and expressed gratitude for the work my colleagues are doing every day. These visits and conversations inspired many new ideas for ways we can continue to adapt to the evolving needs of this diverse and growing state.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced?

The biggest challenge has been navigating an unexpected legislative budget cut. When the Senate proposed its budget in May, it included a permanent reduction that amounted to more than 20 percent of our base appropriation. In response, I dedicated a significant amount of time trying to communicate, both internally and externally, about the potential impact this proposed cut would have on our ability to serve the state and carry out our mission. When the final budget was released, it included a $2.5 million nonrecurring cut, which meant that the cut was one-time rather than permanent.

Throughout my many conversations with legislators, stakeholders, and others, it became clear that my highest priorities as dean center on external communication. It is essential that I raise the public profile of our mission and impact. People need to understand both what we do and how we go about doing it. It is critical that policymakers, public officials, members of the public, and others recognize how our values of neutrality, nonpartisanship, and responsiveness are the key to our long history of serving and supporting all corners of the state.

In what ways have you seen the School change since you assumed this role?

I am seeing a positive shift in our organizational culture with respect to transparency and communication. It is clear that the complexities of our organization can be confusing and, at times, frustrating. We all want to better understand the way things work at the School and to have a voice in shaping decisions going forward. I know we can do better. This shift will take time, but I am energized by the changes I am seeing already.

 Do you expect to make big changes at the School in the coming years?

One of the School’s core values is responsiveness—which means that our work must adapt to meet the needs of North Carolina. One of the reasons I love our organization is that the work is never static. Public officials call faculty members with challenging questions every day that open doors for new research, learning, and teaching. Sometimes, we need to craft innovative ways to respond to the questions we are asked—projects like the Development Finance Initiative, NC Prosecutors’ Resource Online, Lead for North Carolina, and American Rescue Plan Act support.

Going forward, I know we will make changes to our portfolio of work and our approaches to creating resources or programs. We recently initiated a new strategic planning effort, and I am excited to hear from my colleagues, our students, public officials, and other stakeholders about how they see our programs, research, and service to the state evolving. I fully expect to work together with all of these groups to map out the best path forward for the School.

What is one moment you’ll remember as a highlight from this past year?

At the conclusion of our lengthy dean search process, School staff and faculty came together for an informal celebration in one of our classrooms. We were honored to have former Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz, Dean Martin Brinkley from the School of Law, and Dean Emeritus Mike Smith join us to share remarks. At the conclusion of the event, others from the School community were invited to reflect or comment. The first person to come forward was a member of UNC’s Housekeeping Services team, Teretha. Her kind words touched my heart profoundly. She shared how important our community values are to her and how much she appreciates being part of the School. I could not agree more and am grateful every day for the opportunity to do this work in service to the state and surrounded by so many wonderful colleagues.