James Martin II has been named chancellor of North Carolina A&T State University. He will begin his new appointment on August 15.
North Carolina A&T State University is the largest historically Black college or university in the United States, enrolling over 11,800 undergraduate and 1,600 graduate students. Black students represent about 84 percent of the undergraduate student body.
Dr. Martin brings decades of experiences in engineering research and academic leadership to his new role. Currently, he serves as the vice chancellor for STEM research and innovation at the University of Pittsburgh. Before his promotion to vice chancellor, he spent four years as the U.S. Steel Dean of Engineering in the Swanson School of Engineering. His academic career has focused on disaster risk engineering and earthquake science. His expertise had led to engineering consulting positions with nearly 100 firms and governmental agencies.
Previously, Dr. Martin was the Bob Benmosche Professor and Chair of the Glenn Department of Civil Engineering at Clemson University, where he also served as the founding executive director of the Risk Engineering and Systems Analytics Institute. Earlier his career, he served as professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of an engineering fellowship program for underrepresented students at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Peter Hans, president of the University of North Carolina System, said “James Martin is the right leader to engineer North Carolina A&T’s continuing rise.” He stated that Dr. Martin’s vision for the future of the university is “exactly the kind of mindset that will help affirm the university’s status as one of the nation’s best research institutions and engines of social mobility.”
Dr. Martin is a graduate of The Citadel in South Carolina, where he majored in civil engineering. He holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in civil engineering from Virginia Tech.
Once again, another HBCU will be led by another so-called Black administrator who has No substantive track record with HBCUs either professionally or educationally. Let’s be perfectly honest. James Martin II will be nothing more than a continuation of the politically correct Harold Martin. In our view, people James Martin II will conduct themselves as nothing more than an internal threat to NC A&T State University. Keep in mind, the majority of HBCUs are facing similar internal threats under the guise of so-called Black misleaders. This type of internal rot needs to be stopped.