Bowles resigns as UNC president, will take post at White House

“The ‘why’ part is easy,” said UNC president Erskine Bowles responding exclusively to The Carolinian as to his surprise announcement that he would be resigning from his position after only five years on the job last Friday at the UNC Board of Governors meeting.

“I believe this is the right time…” said Bowles via e-mail. “When I came I said I would stay five years and that still feels right.” I always set high standards with goals, objectives and tight time lines. I try to surround myself with a great team and then I hold that team and myself accountable for executing our plan. I’ve learned through experience that there’s only so much Erskine Bowles an organization can take.” “Plus,” Bowles said, “it’s always good to leave when everyone wants you to stay.”

While not specific in his plans for life after UNC, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that President Obama named Bowles to co-chair an 18-member commission with the former Republican Senator from Wyoming, Alan Simpson, “…tasked with drafting a plan to significantly reduce soaring budget deficits by 2015.” But Bowles stated to the News & Record that he would stay on as UNC president until a successor was installed.

A Greensboro native, Bowles graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in business and later earned an MBA from Columbia University. In the 1990’s, he was a mainstay in the Clinton Adminstration serving as its Chief of Staff from 1997-1998. In 2002 and 2004, Bowles ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate. In October 2005, Bowles was elected by the UNC Board of Governors to become the fourth President of the UNC System.

When asked if he had any plans to get back into politics, Bowles told the News & Record “No, I was a terrible politician.”