Thanking Eric Muller For His Years of Service as Board Chair

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Over the past months, many of you followed the situation with our board membership. In May, the UNC System Board of Governors declined to consider the reappointment of our board chair Professor Eric Muller. For a time—and because of the unique nature of the Press’s bylaws—it was unclear to many of us whether Professor Muller’s nomination was still under consideration, making the situation even more opaque. To eliminate this confusion, in early August Professor Muller resigned from the board to help us all find a way forward. 

We want to take this moment to thank Professor Muller for his many years of service to the Press, and in particular for his tireless and exemplary leadership as board chair for the past six years. We’ve heard from a number of members of our community that share this sentiment. We are grateful for the many expressions in support of Professor Muller’s service to the Press. 

Interim board chair Professor Lisa Levenstein noted, “Eric’s chairmanship taught me about how to lead with integrity and passion. I am grateful for his work in helping to diversify the board and for his tremendous commitment to the well-being of everyone associated with the Press.”

John Sherer, the Spangler Family Director of the Press, said, “Eric’s thoughtful and generous style of leadership has been invaluable to me as the Press grapples with the myriad challenges and opportunities facing scholarly publishers. He was a steady and reliable resource for many of us at the Press, and I know I speak for the entire staff when I thank him for these enormous contributions to our success.”

Charles Broadwell, the chair of the Press’s Advancement Council, added, “Eric’s passion for the Press was obvious in his presentations to us. He always welcomed our questions and gave us valuable perspective on the issues and challenges facing the Press. He certainly left his mark as a leader for the board, and we very much appreciate his work with our Council over the years.”