Question: what do the films “Searching for Bobby Fischer,” “The Hunt for Red October,” “Finding Nemo” and the “Where’s Waldo?” series of children’s books have in common that the search for UNCW Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo’s replacement does not?

All of the former searches were entertaining.

Not since an annoying narcissist by the name of LeBron James held the nation hostage for what seemed like a geological age before announcing that he wanted to party with his buds in South Beach has there been such an anticipated personnel decision. Or at least that is what one would think, given the saturation coverage since the highly respected DePaolo announced her resignation last October. Now, UNCW’s main page maintains a link called “Chancellor Search,” above “Campus Map” and “Emergency & Safety”; an inversion of priorities if ever there was one. The online Seahawk newspaper website maintains an entire section devoted to the topic, indicating that the story is the apparent equivalent of the “News,” “Sports,” “Lifestyles” and “Op/Ed” categories by itself.

The reality, of course, is different. Most undergrads show little interest in the search and, despite accusations of apathy, have little reason to do otherwise. Few students chose UNCW based upon the quality of the chancellor or, for that matter, have any idea just what a chancellor does. Efforts to motivate student input, including a chancellor search online poll offering a gift card to one lucky winner, come off as slightly desperate attempts to get anyone to care. One might as well seek input on the secession referendum in southern Sudan given the expertise the average undergrad commands about how university administrators affect his or her day-to-day life.

Student Body President T. Matthew Victory, who seems cordial and capable, is a voting member of the UNCW Board of Trustees that selects the next chancellor, a privilege that many universities do not grant their student leaders. But competent representation aside, the problem simply restates itself on a different level; few know what it is that he ought to be looking for in an executive. Vague suggestions that a chancellor should “improve diversity” or “increase school spirit” hardly address the nuts and bolts of how that might be done in an era of contracting university budgets.

I propose that the chancellor—current or future—and an established UNCW media outlet create an “Ask the Chancellor” forum, in which each week the chancellor addresses one or several specific questions about what he or she does and how it relates to the ordinary student experience. If the student body is going to be bombarded with requests for input and heaps of information on every mundane facet of a human resources affair, then at least they might have some informed feedback to offer. Until then, can we talk about something else?