In 2006, Dr. Gretchen M. Bataille became the 14th president of the University of North Texas and the first woman in the university's 116-year history to hold the position of chief executive officer. Bataille succeeded Dr. Norval Pohl, who served as university President since 2000.

Since 2000, Bataille served as the chief academic officer of the 16-campus University of North Carolina system. In her last year, she had an additional assignment as interim chancellor of the North Carolina School of the Arts, the public performing arts conservatory of UNC. Bataille also served as a tenured professor of English at UNC-Chapel Hill.

As the UNC system's senior vice president for academic affairs, Bataille led the academic planning for all of the UNC system campuses, comprising a total enrollment of about 196,000 students. The UNC system is composed of the state's 16 public universities granting baccalaureate and advanced degrees, including two medical schools and schools of dentistry, pharmacy, public health and veterinary medicine. The scope of her responsibilities as the system's highest ranking academic officer included oversight of strategic planning and budgeting, research, student affairs, international programs and advising the UNC president and board of governors on academic issues.

As interim chancellor of NCSA, Bataille headed an institution serving more than 1,100 junior-high to graduate students training for professional careers in the arts in five professional schools - dance, design and production (visual arts), drama, film and music. NCSA was the first state-supported, residential school of its kind in the nation.

Bataille has served as an administrator at Washington State University, the University of California at Santa Barbara, Arizona State University, and California State Polytechnic University at Pomona.

A recognized scholar of Native American literature, Bataille's professional career has focused on issues of diversity, civil rights and ethnic studies. She began her teaching career as a member of the English faculty at Iowa State University and her publications include books on Native American literature and film as well as the role of administrators in higher education.

Originally from Indiana, Bataille earned her bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in English education from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. She earned a doctorate in English from Drake University and has completed management development programs at Harvard University and the University of California. Bataille is a widow and the mother of two grown children - Erin Hettinga Crail and Marc Hettinga.