UNC system's Board of Governors set to vote on nullifying diversity, equity, and inclusion policy.
If accepted, the proposal would overturn a 2019 decision that endeavors to "create an inclusive atmosphere" and asks each educational institution to send diversity and inclusion reports to the board of trustees yearly.
This new policy would necessitate that UNC institutions "ensure equality for all individuals and viewpoints" and advocate against discrimination in employment practices.
It would also mandate that all UNC institutions adhere to a string of amendments approved by the North Carolina State Legislature last year that limit what can be discussed or taught about race, racism, and sex in government organizations.
On Thursday, the central board will vote on this issue. This decision comes while diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in public universities and businesses throughout the nation are being subjected to attacks from critics and conservative legislators. If it passes, the new regulation will follow similar actions by state governments in Florida and Texas to eliminate DEI initiatives in public schools and colleges.
Educational institutions in the UNC System are required to comply with the new regulation by September 1, but no information on how many DEI functions may be affected is available.
A few weeks ago, the Board of Trustees for the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill passed a separate proposal to transfer $2.3 million from DEI initiatives to Public Safety.
One of the board members mentioned the recent protests on campus as the reason to advance the proposal to allocate more resources to public safety measures.
"We claim to value peaceful demonstrations", Marty Kotis, the vice chair of the board's finance and budget committee, said. "But when you vandalize property, or you take down the American flag, and you need to install gates and deploy officers, there are costs associated with that."
"North Carolinians are watching these events and are not pleased", he continued. "And I think it's crucial that we provide the proper tools for our law enforcement to safeguard the campus, safeguard our possessions, and protect the flag as well."
Major universities like the University of Florida and the University of Texas at Austin have been forced to eradicate their DEI positions and programs and cut jobs to comply with state statutes.
Since 2023, 14 anti-DEI bills targeting college programs have been signed into law, as per a list by the Chronicle of Higher Education. The North Carolina State Legislature passed a law last year prohibiting diversity statements in state agencies, the UNC system, and community colleges.
"You'll be able to feel the change"
The anti-DEI policies at both the system-wide level and the UNC Chapel Hill campus have made students worried about the future of diversity initiatives on campus if they are passed.
Toby Posel, the co-policy chair for UNC Chapel Hill's Affirmative Action Coalition and one of the founders of the student organization TransparUNCy, stated he was "very disappointed and disgusted" by both the UNC System and UNC board members for opposing DEI.
Posel expressed concern that the proposed UNC anti-DEI policy lacks clarity and it's impossible to foresee how jobs, programs, and offices will be affected.
Yet, he emphasized, the removal of DEI initiatives would make the campuses very unwelcoming for people of color, LGBTQ+ students, and first-generation college students.
"You'll be able to feel the difference", Posel said. "It'll be notably less welcoming, less secure, and less supportive. Students' academic and social lives will suffer as a result. Entities like the UNC System and UNC board members are showing these students that they don't care about their well-being."
Julian Taylor, an executive board member of the Affirmative Action Coalition and one of the founders of TransparUNCy, believes that both boards are siding with a conservative movement in their opposition to DEI rather than remaining neutral.
The UNC Board of Governors consists of 24 members who are elected by the Republican-controlled North Carolina State Legislature. The UNC Chapel Hill Board of Trustees has 15 members, including eight elected by the Board of Governors, six selected by the General Assembly, and one spot for the student government president.
Taylor stated that DEI initiatives have allowed UNC Chapel Hill to confront its history of slavery on campus. He is worried that eliminating DEI programs might affect the curriculum and prevent this history from being taught.
"DEI is a small step towards racial justice", Taylor said. "However, a lot of this is about the broader debate over what we do to address past injustices. This response from UNC and the UNC Board of Trustees indicates that the answer to this question is 'absolutely nothing.'"
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The UNC System's decision, if passed, would imply that each UNC institution will no longer need to submit annual diversity and inclusion reports to the board of trustees. This change directly impacts us, as students, as it may affect the future of diversity initiatives on our campus.
If the new policy is implemented, UNC institutions will be required to ensure equality for all individuals and viewpoints, potentially leading to shifts in our university's approach to diversity and inclusion.
Source: edition.cnn.com
