North Carolina State University formally installed Kevin Howell as the university’s 15th chancellor on Oct. 30, 2025.

In this historic moment, NC State christened the university’s first ever Black chancellor. Howell is not new to firsts, as he was also the university’s first Black student body president in 1987-1988.

With an undeniable legacy behind him, he inherits many challenges from his predecessor, Randy Woodson: Carcinogens in lecture halls, Lawsuits against the former sports medicine director, the subpar infrastructure due to construction, the heavy mental health crisis, and the controversial termination of employees perceived as undermining DEI policies. 

Despite Kevin Howell’s resume, as the chancellor of a predominately white institution (PWI), I don’t believe he lived up to the standards that his reputation set, nor the standards of many students on campus. Howell’s lack of action has made him a very forgettable figure for many on campus.

When I interviewed Hassan Wanzo, a first-year student studying fashion and textile management, I first asked him a simple question: “Do you know who Kevin Howell is?” he replied simply: “No.”

Then I asked him about something he would know, the recent firing of Jae Edwards, former Assistant Director at the Pride Center. “How does it make you feel that Howell presided over this, allowing it to happen during his administration?”

Wanzo responded, “I feel like this is ridiculous, man. We got to bring [Edwards] back.”

Howell’s inaction regarding pressing issues on campus became a recurring theme during all of the interviews.

As I interviewed Brooklyn Bailey, a second-year student studying human biology, I began by asking her, “Could you name anything specific that Kevin Howell has done since he has become chancellor?”

Bailey responded, “Personally, no. I do know of him … but I haven’t heard of any of his own specific actions.”

Bailey offered a perspective regarding Howell’s lack of a personal statement regarding Jae Edwards’ firing, saying, “I think it is a small positive that he has not officially backed this firing … The fact he hasn’t said ‘I support this choice’ is a good thing in itself. Him doing direct action to prevent his firing would have been better.”

Our conversation shifted to the importance of Black leaders, like Howell, during Black History Month. I asked her, “What do you think it says about Black leadership that Howell allowed this controversial firing of a Black man during Black History Month, without stopping it?”

Bailey’s answer hit at the heart of people’s criticisms of Howell, “A lot of Black people focus on getting the title instead of doing something with the title. Once you get the title everyone’s like ‘you beat them; you got it done.’ Then we look around, we’re saying ‘Now what? What are you going to do with it now.’”

I mentioned to her about the pending lawsuits regarding Poe Hall and the Sports Medicine Director, and asked, “How do you think he’s handling the situations that he inherited from his predecessor?”

Bailey, criticizing Howell’s inaction, said, “I think he’s been a little slow to act … Maybe feels like he doesn’t need to act … everyone has already become accustomed to these issues.”

She expanded, “We’re trying to see if we can go without dealing with [infected buildings]. It’s an extremely expensive issue … going to cost millions of dollars … They have the money to do it, but [because] people have grown complicit, they’re not going to do [anything] right away.”

NC State filed a lawsuit against Monsanto, the company responsible for construction of Poe Hall, seeking money for damages and future liability that may arise from personal injury claims.

To Bailey, the most pressing issue is “dealing with health code [violations] on campus.”

She stressed the importance of construction that is beneficial for everyone, saying, “They obviously have no issue having construction on campus, so we might as well do something that’s beneficial for us all.”

Opinions of Howell were similar between people of different grades and ages.

I interviewed Aiden Ly, a first-year student studying political science, and Dani Gonzalez, a fourth-year student studying English and World Languages and Cultures.

Knowing how much Howell inherited from his predecessor, Woodson, regarding the carcinogens in campus buildings, lawsuits and allegations against the former sports medicine director and the persistent mental health crisis on campus, I asked them if they felt that Howell had been working to fix any of those issues.

Dani responded, “I think he’s been awfully quiet. I don’t think I’ve heard of any action taking place, fixing any of this, which is definitely not that stance to be taking right now.”

She continued, “There’s multiple issues to choose from. Start working on at least making a statement. That says something. That signals support … the fact that it’s been radio silent since he got instated is crazy.”

Ly called out to Howell, “The fact that we’re having, clearly, a housing crisis here on campus… I just want to know that the faculty has our backs. When I learned about Poe Hall, I was like, they’re just gonna let that stay there or something … I’m putting my money in, and you’re not going to guarantee that I won’t leave these 4 years of college not having cancer?”

I asked if they felt the controversial firing of Jae Edwards created a culture of fear on campus, and Ly responded, “I feel like it makes a big statement on how the comfort of a certain group of people is more important than the safety of students here today. I cannot imagine what it would be to hear this as a career student and just knowing that the school itself doesn’t have your back.”

Ly’s final comment highlights why, as a Black man with so many achievements, I consider it not just the morally correct thing for Howell, but an obligation to speak out against injustices that happen on his campus, and to stand up for the students.

His inaction in situations, which affect so many students, makes them feel disillusioned with the university administration and betrayed by their own chancellor.

NC State students are yearning for something from Howell, and in his first semester, he didn’t deliver.

To outshine the shadow of his predecessor, Kevin Howell needs to take on a more personal role with the students and faculty to make us all feel connected as a Wolfpack, and one way he can start is to make a statement.