Gene R. Nichol is a law professor, editorial commentator, and author of The Faces of Poverty in North Carolina: Stories from Our Invisible Citizens (UNC Press, 2018) and a number of other books. He writes commentary for Raleigh News and Observer, Charlotte Observer, the Progressive Populist, and others. He is the Boyd Tinsley distinguished professor of law at the University of North Carolina. He was director of the UNC Poverty Center until it was closed by the UNC Board of Governors for publishing articles critical of the governor and General Assembly. Since 2015, his research has been supported by the North Carolina Poverty Research Fund. Nichol was president of the College of William & Mary (2005-2008), law dean at the University of Colorado (1988-1995), and dean at UNC from 1999-2005.