While I was deeply disappointed when I first heard that my alma mater had appointed the chair of a company that still wants to build coal mines as chancellor, I was excited to learn that Mark Vaile, after listening to the broader community, had decided it was in the best interests of the uni to start its search again.

While the past few weeks have been tumultuous, the university should be proud that its staff, students and the broader community are so invested in the future of the institution, and that they care so deeply about its leadership and direction.

Rather than being regarded as an ivory tower, the University of Newcastle is clearly seen by the people of the Hunter as a reflection of themselves and a key part of their future.

While Mr Vaile's decision to turn down the position of chancellor is to be applauded, the decision to offer it to him in the first place must still be carefully scrutinised.

It's possible that the current University Council genuinely believed that the chair of a company as controversial as Whitehaven Coal was the best person to lead a university destined to play a key role in the diversification of the Hunter. It's possible that the council didn't pay close attention to the university's sustainability strategy when seeking a new chancellor.

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But, either way, it's clear that Mr Vaile has a better understanding of what the community expects than the council itself.

The university chancellor plays an important governance and symbolic role. The next chancellor of the University of Newcastle should embody the values the university wants to project, and have the experience and standing to ensure the university's commitment to climate action and economic transition helps the entire community to manage that same transition.

Two weeks ago, when I handed back the award for National Leadership that the university gave me in 2017, I urged the University Council to live up to its motto and "look ahead".

Now that Mr Vaile has given them the opportunity, it's time for the council to admit the mistakes of the past and confront the opportunities of the future. The students, staff, alumni and donors to the university clearly want to see the fine words in the university's strategy documents turned into fine deeds by fine people. Not only do they need to think carefully about who to select as their next chancellor, but how to select them. The right process and the right appointment could see the university build stronger links with its community than ever before.

The people of Newcastle have lived through transition before, and the people of the Hunter know that it is coming again. While politicians in Sydney and Canberra might see advantage in pretending world demand for coal isn't going to fall rapidly, those who work in and around the industry are not blind to that reality.

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Of course, those working in the coal mines don't want them to shut tomorrow, and, of course, those working to stop climate change don't want coal mines built today.

But with existing Hunter coal mines running at 100 million tonnes a year below capacity, there is no need for those who work in the mines and those who want urgent climate action to disagree. It's simply time to hit pause on approving mines while a new plan for the region is developed. Who better than the University of Newcastle to lead the development and implementation of that plan? If the Port of Newcastle, the world's biggest coal port, can plan for a transition away from coal, then surely the university and the Hunter Region can as well.

The University of Newcastle is one of the largest employers in the region. Its current staff and former students have networks that don't just span the region, but the world. Its commitment to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2020 and to be net zero by 2025 already leads the way among Australian universities. Its research into renewable energy and sustainability often leads the world. There is nothing to stop the university from helping the Hunter find its way through the largest transition facing any region in Australia.

It's time to look ahead. If the University Council reflects on the community's enthusiasm it can help chart a new course forward, not just for itself but for the entire region. So many people are excited to see what comes next. I'm confident that the new process will be as open and transparent as the previous process was opaque and confusing and, in turn, that the end result will be a decision we can all be proud of.