Sharon Gaber, the current president of the University of Toledo in Ohio, has been named UNC Charlotte’s newest chancellor.
Gaber’s appointment was approved Tuesday in a Board of Governors meeting. She will begin July 1 with a salary of $525,000.
Gaber replaces Philip Dubois, who has been chancellor at UNCC for the past 15 years, a span of enormous growth at the school. Enrollment grew to about 30,000 – a 43% increase since he assumed office in 2005. Dubois’s retirement is effective June 30.
Gaber has been president at Toledo since 2015 and was previously provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Arkansas. She was also interim provost at Auburn University and a faculty member and administrator at the University of Nebraska.
In a video on the university website, Gaber said she sees a growing role for UNC Charlotte.
"It's clear that UNC Charlotte is well-positioned to impact the success of the city, region and state." she said. "And I believe UNC Charlotte will play an even bigger role as a nationally recognized university in the years to come."
“Sharon Gaber’s impressive career at each level of education made her stand out as the ideal candidate to lead UNC Charlotte into its next phase of success,” said UNC System Interim President Bill Roper in a statement. “Her many past achievements and future goals will benefit both the UNC System and UNC Charlotte. I have great confidence that the university will continue to grow and develop under her strong leadership.”
Gaber earned her bachelor’s degree from Occidental College, a master’s degree from the University of Southern California, and a doctoral degree in city and regional planning from Cornell University.
"I am truly excited and grateful to have the opportunity to serve as the fifth chancellor of UNC Charlotte and join the Niner Nation family," Gaber said in a statement. "While we are experiencing unprecedented times in our nation, I am prepared to work with the faculty, staff, students, alumni and local leaders to navigate our new realities together and build on the University’s strong legacy of academic excellence, cutting-edge research and community engagement. I believe in the importance of the institution’s mission as North Carolina’s urban research university, and the critical role UNC Charlotte plays in the largest city in the state."
