Oblinger named chancellor

Dr. James L. Oblinger

Dr. James L. Oblinger has been named chancellor of NC State, effective Jan. 1.

The announcement of the appointment was made by University of North Carolina President Molly Corbett Broad in Chapel Hill today (Oct. 8) following approval by the UNC Board of Governors. Oblinger succeeds Dr. Robert A. Barnhardt, who has served as interim chancellor since Dr. Marye Anne Fox resigned to accept the chancellor position at the University of California, San Diego in July.

Oblinger is NC State’s 13th chancellor. A strong advocate for academic issues and consensus-building, Oblinger has served in various capacities at NC State for almost 20 years, including his current position as provost and executive vice chancellor, a position he has held since May 2003. As provost, he is responsible for advancing the university’s academic mission and setting the university’s academic agenda.

Under Oblinger’s guidance, graduate student enrollment and distance education enrollment have increased, with both numbers reaching all-time highs. A new Office of Undergraduate Research was also created under Oblinger’s leadership; that office coordinates undergraduate research activities, including stipends and funding opportunities. He also led the searches for deans in the College of Management and College of Veterinary Medicine.

“NC State has a unique place in the history, quality of life and economic development of North Carolina,” Oblinger said. “NC State takes seriously the public’s trust and our role in addressing the relevant needs of the state. Our university can and will continue to be one of North Carolina’s greatest resources. I’m honored to be chosen to lead this great institution.”

In recommending Oblinger, Broad said, “During nearly two decades of service to NC State University, Jim Oblinger has developed a deep understanding of the institution, its special relationship with the citizens of this state, and its vast potential for even greater service to the state and nation. While rising through the administrative ranks from associate dean to chief academic officer, he has proven himself to be a collaborative, consultative leader, one who has earned the trust and respect of his colleagues, the students, and other key campus constituencies.”

Peaches Gunter Blank, chair of the NC State Board of Trustees, thanked Interim Chancellor Robert Barnhardt for his steady leadership and enthusiasm, and praised Oblinger’s management skills and educational experience.

“For 18 years, Jim Oblinger has been a key part of NC State’s success,” she said. “Jim performs his tasks with a sense of humor, incredible organizational skills, and a keen ability in building consensus. He makes tackling difficult tasks look easy. He is an educator, a communicator, and a listener, and was clearly the best choice for the job.”

Oblinger also praised Barnhardt. “The NC State community is grateful for Bob’s leadership, judgment and steady focus on the greater good of the university during a time of transition. Bob has been a dedicated and enthusiastic supporter of NC State and its mission.”

Before being named provost, Oblinger served as dean and executive director for agricultural programs of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at NC State, assuming those duties after serving as associate dean and director of academic programs for CALS from 1986 to 1997. He is a tenured professor in the Department of Food Science. Prior to coming to NC State, he was associate dean and director of resident instruction in the College of Agriculture at the University of Missouri-Columbia (1984 to 1986), and assistant professor, associate professor and professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Florida (1972 to 1984).

As dean of CALS, Oblinger presided over the administration of 22 departments, more than 400 tenured faculty members, 690 field faculty and agents, 1,900 staffers, more than 4,300 undergraduate and graduate students, and a budget of $180 million.

He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association for Higher Education, the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, and the Institute of Food Technologists, among other organizations.

He received the Distinguished Educator Award of the National Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture in 1994, the William V. Cruess National Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1983, and the Award of Merit from the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida in 1981, among other honors.

Oblinger also serves on the board of scientific and policy advisors for the American Council on Science and Health; the executive committee of the American Distance Education Consortium; and the executive committee of the C.V. Riley Foundation, among other professional activities.

He is a member of the honorary organizations Alpha Zeta, Gamma Sigma Delta, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Epsilon Phi, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Tau Sigma and Sigma Xi. He is the author or co-author of three book chapters and numerous publications in the field of food microbiology.

Oblinger received a bachelor’s degree in bacteriology at DePauw University in 1967, and both a master’s degree and Ph.D. in food technology at Iowa State University in 1970 and 1972, respectively.

The 58-year-old Oblinger is a native of Ashland, Ohio, and is married to Diana Oblinger. He has 4 sons.

A 13-member search committee of trustees, faculty, staff and students – Bob Jordan, Dr. Winser Alexander, D. McQueen Campbell, Tony Caravano, Dr. Dennis Daley, Ann Goodnight, Dr. Todd Klaenhammer, Marvin Malecha, Laura Massengill, Burley Mitchell Jr., Wendell Murphy, Steve Warren and Peaches Gunter Blank – spent five months reviewing and interviewing candidates before selecting three finalists and passing their names to Broad.

Oblinger will take the helm of North Carolina’s largest university, with about 30,000 students. Long admired for its strengths in engineering and agriculture, the university has emerged as a national leader in biotechnology, nanotechnology, proteomics, and other fields of study – such as food safety and biomedical research – that affect the health and livelihoods of people in North Carolina and across the globe. Its fields of study prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of life in the 21st century.

With its state-of-the-art labs and classrooms and its unique partnerships with government and industry, NC State’s campus of the future, Centennial Campus, is the model for university research parks across the nation.

Posted October 8, 2004

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