Diversity jobs at North Carolina public universities could be at risk with upcoming board vote

RALEIGH, North Carolina – North Carolina’s public university system could soon join other major universities in drastically cutting existing diversity and employment programs if its board of trustees votes Thursday to revoke a diversity, equity and inclusion policy with almost five years of existence.

The proposed policy change centers on removing a 2019 regulation that outlines several DEI positions – such as diversity officers across the university system – and also defines the roles and duties of officers, such as assisting with diversity programming and manage training for employees and students.

The new policy does not include the outlined responsibilities of DEI officers and liaisons, suggesting they may be eliminated. The proposal was approved by the council’s university governance committee last month in less than four minutes, without discussion.

An affirmative vote by the board would mean the change would take effect immediately, affecting all 17 schools in the system.

Before the final vote, public feedback on the policy was largely limited to a submission form on the council’s website, which closes Thursday. As of Monday, more than 250 people had submitted public comments — most identifying themselves as alumni, according to the University of North Carolina system’s public records.

Only 13 people expressed support for the potential repeal, while the rest expressed opposition to it. Commenters included students who told how they benefited from university diversity programs and parents who said they would not send their children to a UNC school if the policy changed.

DEI has become one of the most controversial issues on college campuses in recent years, as conservatives have claimed the practices can lead to discrimination. Advocates, however, say diversity initiatives do the opposite, ensuring the inclusion of minority students and faculty in the university community.

Elsewhere, the University of Florida and the University of Texas at Austin announced job cuts for diversity officers this year. More broadly, at least 20 states have seen Republican proposals that seek to limit diversity and inclusion programs at various public institutions, including universities.

The state’s flagship campus, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, decided to restrict diversity programs last week after the university’s board voted to reallocate $2.3 million in DEI spending in next year’s budget. year for public safety initiatives. During the regular UNC Board of Trustees meeting later in the week, trustee Ralph Meekins said he was “totally against” the budget changes.

Council budget chairman Dave Boliek said in an interview that the budget cut had been under consideration for nearly a year.

“There is no reason why we cannot, as university administrators, signal that this is the direction the university needs to take. I feel good about it,” said Boliek, who also won the Republican primary for state auditor last week.

More definitive plans to cut DEI funding date back to at least late March, according to UNC public records obtained by The Associated Press. In an agenda sent to another administrator before last month’s Board of Governors meeting, university President Chris Clemens wrote that a plan was needed to remove at least $1 million from the university’s DEI budget.

He also mentioned in his March 25 email that the administration needed to “prepare for some rapid changes.”

In the weeks leading up to the vote, UNC removed its employee page from the University Office for Diversity and Inclusion, which the university’s media relations team said was done as a privacy measure. The office’s website previously listed a team of 12 headed by Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Leah Cox.

UNC Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts told reporters at last week’s trustees meeting that he was waiting to see what the Board of Governors’ finalized diversity policy would look like before determining what might happen to the diversity office and other jobs .