Longtime business professor and former dean John P. Evans will be executive director of Carolina North, UNC-Chapel Hill's research campus planned north of the main campus, Chancellor James Moeser announced today.

Evans will begin the job Aug. 1. In the new role, he will take the lead on planning the campus proposed for university-owned property two miles from the central campus.

Evans, a faculty member since 1970, already serves on a Carolina North advisory committee that includes local, state and university representatives. That group is working to hammer out guiding principles for the university's development. Evans has been involved for years in discussions about the large tract of land. He helped lead campus committees on the planning under previous chancellors Michael Hooker and William McCoy.

"What we need, and what we have in Jack Evans is a quarterback, someone who will be calling the signals, actually planning and coordinating the planning of all of our team -- leading that team to make sure that this project continues to move forward," Moeser said today.

Moeser said Evans knows the people and politics of the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, which will be key when UNC-CH submits its plan next year.

Evans is a veteran of university administration and has served in various positions over the years, including dean of the Kenan-Flagler Business School from 1978 to 1987. He was interim vice chancellor for finance and administration and currently is the university's faculty representative to the Atlantic Coast Conference and the National Collegiate Athletics Association.

Also today, the UNC-CH Board of Trustees announced a record year in fundraising. In the fiscal year that just ended, UNC-CH brought in $241 million in donations -- a 26 percent increase over last year's total.

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