This week on Strictly VC Download, Connie Loizos sits down with Lee Roberts, Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to discuss his ambitious plan to make AI the university’s “north star” amid a tumultuous year. Roberts walks through his decision to merge UNC’s School of Data Science and Society with its School of Information and Library Science, explaining why breaking down academic silos is essential when the technology moves faster than universities typically can. He addresses the $38 million in terminated federal research grants—concentrated in areas like public health—and why he’s less concerned about funding cuts than he was at the start of the year. Roberts also defends his $10 million annual commitment to Bill Belichick despite the team’s rocky start, explaining why football revenue is essential to supporting UNC’s 28 sports programs.

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction

1:46 - AI as UNC's North Star: Research, Operations, and Instruction

5:10 - Incentivizing Faculty Without Top-Down Mandates

6:41 - The Google Gemini Partnership and Avoiding Exclusivity

8:21 - Merging Two Schools: Breaking Down Academic Silos for AI

9:49 - Addressing Student Concerns About the Library Science Merger

11:38 - The $38 Million in Federal Funding Cuts: Impact and Outlook

13:18 - Concentrated Cuts in Public Health and Underserved Populations

14:19 - Diversifying Beyond Federal Research Funding

16:31 - The Bill Belichick Investment: Why Football Drives Athletics Revenue

18:48 - Dysfunction Allegations and Staying the Course

20:31 - The 900-Person Petition and the Search Process

22:30 - Leading Without Traditional Academic Credentials

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