Wat Hopkins

| Anna L. Mallory

anna.mallory@roanoke.com, 381-8627

Longtime Montgomery County School Board member Wat Hopkins says a new job as a visiting professor at the University of North Carolina shouldn't detract from his duties on the board.

"If it gets to the point where it gets to be too much, I'll resign, but I'm not planning to now," Hopkins said Thursday.

Hopkins, who teaches media law at Virginia Tech, will spend the spring semester in Chapel Hill. His job as the Roy H. Park Distinguished Visiting Professor begins in January. It is only a one-semester appointment.

Hopkins plans to get an apartment in Chapel Hill while he teaches a class and work with graduate students, but he also plans to maintain his Blacksburg residence.

He said the job could lead him to miss a few school board meetings, but he said he doesn't know his teaching schedule yet.

Hopkins accepted the appointment two weeks ago, and said he spoke with board Chairman Wendell Jones about how it might affect the board.

Jones said he's not concerned.

"I think we can work through it," he said.

The board is going to begin looking for a new superintendent soon and, ideally, wants to have someone in the role by December. Hopkins is one of three board members, including Jones, who has experience with previous superintendent hunts.

Jones said the appointment is an honor and shouldn't affect the search. He said the board should have someone in place before January.

"If we haven't got a superintendent in place by the time he goes, we're in trouble," he said. State law requires that the board fill the position within 180 days of a vacancy.

Hopkins has been on the board since 1995. Like other members, he earns a $4,800 annual salary for the elected position.