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GREENSBORO – Friday, North Carolina A&T State University’s search committee met for the first time to talk about the process of replacing Chancellor Dr. Stanley Battle, who will leave in June.

Erskine Bowles, the president of the University of North Carolina System, stopped by the meeting to give his input.

"I want a chancellor who knows A&T, who knows its strengths and, yes, it's weaknesses, and through that knowledge can articulate a vision for where we can take it," Bowles said.

Universities often hire search firms to help fill this type of position. But at a cost of more than $90,000, the search committee voted on Friday not to hire a firm.

"We thought that we could do an equally good job. In fact, in some instances, we wouldn't be as encumbered or we wouldn't have some of the artificial barriers placed on us that we would have if we had a search firm," Dr. Franklin McCain, chair of the search committee, said.

The committee plans to hold several forums, on and off campus, to get input from students, faculty and the community.

Students said they'd like to see someone with staying power.

"This will be my third chancellor, so I'd like to have somebody for more than two years. I think a lot of students really want stability," N.C. A&T junior Dexter Mullins said.

Battle's last day will be June 30. University officials hope to have picked the new chancellor by that time.