Interim chancellor Lloyd V. Hackley has appointed Dr. George Antonelli to his cabinet as special assistant to the chancellor. Antonelli served with Hackley at the University of North Carolina General Administration and at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

“I have known George in several capacities,” said Hackley. “We worked together on statewide projects long before we worked together as colleagues in education. He is a remarkable person both in terms of commitment to the total education of all students and ethical integrity. If I was going to be a permanent chancellor, I would want a person of his national caliber.”

Antonelli, who retired in 2003 after 17 years as an associate vice president at General Administration brings an abundance of knowledge in the field of higher education. In his position he held the responsibilities of student affairs, admissions, financial aid, health services, disability services, the Student Advisory Council, student fees, the Association of Student Governments and athletics.

In his final assignment at General Administration, Antonelli served as the North Carolina Officer for Institutional Licensure and Exemption from Licensure and he supervised the North Carolina State Approving Agency. This special agency was established by the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that quality educational opportunities are available to veterans and that the interests and prerogatives of the state are preserved.

Antonelli served as a clinical professor of educational leadership at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1990-93) as dean of education and director of the Advocacy Center for Equity and Excellence at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff as well as on the graduate faculty of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (1983-86). Prior to his tenure at Arkansas, he served from 1972-1983 at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as an administrator, professor and cross-country coach. In addition, he taught high school in Wisconsin.

The Navy veteran received his degrees from Southern Illinois University and the University of Wisconsin. He also studied at The University of Hamburg in Germany. Antonelli has authored articles for scholarly periodicals, popular magazine and newspapers. He is best known for his innovative work with teacher effectiveness. Antonelli’s most current publication on service learning programs appeared in Service Learning: Ninety Sixth Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education and his most recent book review in The Journal of Higher Education.