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THE SEAHAWK/MAY 3 1 , ZOOO
University mourns passing of Board of Trustees member Jay Robinson
BY Heidi Bing
News Editor
Educational representatives and personal
friends from across the state convened for a
memorial service in Kenan Auditorium on
April 30 for Wilmington resident and
UNCW Board of Trustees (BOT) member
Jay Robinson who died April 24 after a battle
with lung cancer. Robinson had an expan
sive educational career and was instrumen
tal in the development of North Carolina’s
school accountability program, the ABC’s
of Public Education, while he served as
chairman of the State Board of Education.
“Jay Robinson served as a giant of
American education. I’ve never known an
education leader in North Carolina who did
more to change and improve our schools
than he did,” said Governor Jim Hunt in an
article in the Raleigh News and Observer.
Hunt was. one of the many guests at
Robinson’s memorial service who spoke on
his numerous accomplishments. “He in
sisted that we raise standards for student
performance dramatically, but understood
that we all have a responsibility for accom
plishing this...his legacy will be public
schools that help all of our children to suc
ceed."
Robinson began his professional career
as a public school math teacher and coach.
He became principal and then superinten
dent of Cabarrus County and Charlotte-
Mecklenburg County Schools during the
public schools bussing controversy. In 1971,
the supreme court case of Swann vs. Char-
lotte-Mecklenburg County Board of Educa
tion upheld the constitu
tional mandates of
Brown Vs. Board of
Education, which said
that desegregation of
public schools did not
require all schools in a
district to reflect the
district’s racial compo
sition but that the exist
ence of all-white or all
black schools must be
shown not to result from
segregation policies.
The court mandated that
bussing systems be used
as a means of correcting
racial imbalances. De
spite the tumultuous
events during this time,
Robinson gained a great
deal of respect from his
district.
“Even though Jay be
gan superintendent during the bussing deci
sion which was so chaotic, after two years
he was named Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s
‘Citizen of the Year',” said special assistant
to the chancellor Mark Lanier who worked
closely with Robinson for many years.
Robinson went on to become vice presi
dent for public affairs then vice president for
special projects for the University of North
Carolina General Administration. In recog
Courtesy UNCW
Jay Robinson
nition of his success convincing legislators
and educators to implement the ABC pro
gram. Robinson was
named one of Teacher
Magazine's 10 most
influential people in
American education
during the past century.
“Although Jay
would disagree with
this statement, it is true
that no other individual
had a greater positive
impact on education in
North Carolina in the
20"' century than Jay
Robinson,” said Chan
cellor James R. Leutze.
“Every North Carolin
ian, whether he or she
recognizes it or not, is
better off because of
Jay’s life and contribu
tions to our system of
education.”
After retiring from
the legislature. Robinson joined the UNCW
BOT, partly due to Lanier’s encouragement.
“I consider Jay a mentor because of my
work with him in the legislature and when
he said he was retiring to Wilmington I im
mediately asked him if he would serve on
the board,” Lanier said.
Because of his legislative experience,
Robinson was asked to serve on the exter
nal affairs committee that deals with fund
ing, media, and governmental relations at the
university. During his time here, Robinson
was an avid supporter of funding for the new
$17.5 million building that will house the
Watson School of Education and educational
resource center. In 1995, the school recog
nized him with the Razor Walker Award for
Educational Administration.
“Jay realized that [the university] was do
ing things that the other schools weren’t by
collaborating with the public school sys
tems,” Lanier said, stating that university
schools of education have often been criti
cized for being detached from the public
schools they are meant to serve. “Our uni
versity requires all faculty to spend time
working in the public schools and we guar
antee a good education to our graduates. Jay
knew our school was producing many teach
ers at the best quality.”
Along with his numerous professional
achievements, many individuals at the me
morial service celebrated their personal re
lationship with Robinson.
“He combined of a little bit of country
humor and homespun personality into a very
intellectual and logical point of view that was
very convincing,” said Lanier, who noted
that when he walked around with Robinson
during legislative sessions, “Jay couldn’t
make it past any office without some stop
ping him to talk.”
“I personally will miss his wise counsel,
his mountain wit, and his pointed insights,”
Leutze said.
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