Chancellors across the UNC System have closed their DEI offices, changed how identity-based centers are operated, and eliminated programs geared toward historically marginalized students. The changes are to comply with a UNC Board of Governors “institutional neutrality” policy, which replaced a directive that mandated every public university in the state to have DEI initiatives, jobs and data reporting.
UNC System President Peter Hans said the switch sends a “clear message” that public universities are not for “any one faction or viewpoint.”
“Our focus from the beginning has been to get back to basics, which is our student success,” Hans said in a press conference.
Although the UNC System sent the same guidance to every public university and the NC School for Science and Math, each had a different plan for compliance.
Some closed DEI offices, others renamed them and a handful of universities never had a DEI office at all. One university had upwards of 20 DEI-related staff while others only had one person in place to meet policy requirements. Most universities decided to leave student-led organizations alone, but some changed how they can operate.
DEI offices shuttered
At least seven university chancellors chose to close their DEI offices to comply with the BOG’s “institutional neutrality” policy: Appalachian State, North Carolina A&T, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC Charlotte, UNC Pembroke, UNC Wilmington, and Western Carolina.
Other universities — including East Carolina, Elizabeth City State, North Carolina Central, NC State, UNC Asheville, and UNC School of the Arts — chose to rename their offices or departments. Most of these titles have removed words like “diversity” or “equity,” and replaced them with “student success,” “institutional engagement” or “equal opportunity.”
Chancellors eliminated a total of 59 positions at universities where DEI offices were closed or renamed. UNC-Chapel Hill removed the highest, with 20 positions cut. Several schools, including ECU, UNC Charlotte, and UNC Wilmington, said position cuts did not result in any layoffs. However, it’s still unclear if there were any terminations across the System.
Three universities — Fayetteville State, UNC Greensboro, and Winston-Salem State — and the NC School of Science and Math didn’t have a DEI office. These institutions make up almost all of the schools that didn’t have to eliminate DEI-related positions.
Centers targeted
The UNC System sent guidance to university chancellors stating that some campus centers will need to be “restructured” to meet new policy requirements. This includes ensuring identity-based campus centers avoid “content endorsement,” which the UNC System defines as advocating for or against “ideologies, politics, or social commentary.”
Appalachian State University closed its “Intercultural Student Affairs Office,” which is more colloquially known as its multicultural center. The university replaced it with a “student success and community” center, with a commitment to the “whole student.” The university is also mandating its Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ center staff to take “institutional neutrality training.”
Appalachian State has also taken away dedicated center space for identity-based student organizations. The university used to also have $10,000 of funding specifically for those organizations. It is now being reallocated to general student club funding.
East Carolina University has “significantly adjusted” funding, programming, and governance of its centers. The majority of the centers' programming will now be led and developed by student organizations. Staff that used to lead those centers have been reassigned to the university’s new “Student Engagement” department. NC Central’s LGBTA Resource Center coordinator is now also a student engagement coordinator.
At UNC Wilmington, every identity-based center director has either been shifted to an associate director or temporary staff position. All are non-DEI roles and range from running fraternity and sorority life, budget and facilities for campus recreation, or precollege programming.
When asked if more positions could be eliminated in the following months, Hans said the question would have to be directed to individual campuses. Some center staff and students are worried more changes could come at their universities.
BIPOC, historically marginalized programs eliminated
Even though some universities didn’t have a DEI office or staff, they had events and programs for BIPOC students. Chancellors have also made significant removals and changes to those offerings to comply with the “institutional neutrality” policy.
At UNC Greensboro, programs like “House of Privilege” and “Tunnel of Oppression” will no longer be offered. These programs previously taught students about various forms of oppression and privileges people have because of their identities. The school also eliminated a “Community Dialogue” series that focused on social justice.
Winston-Salem State University will no longer have an “Advocacy Day.” The August event usually involves students meeting with lawmakers to discuss political positions. Last year, several HBCUs in North Carolina participated. The university said it will instead shift to initiatives that “encourage students to develop their sense of self-agency” in a neutral environment.
Fayetteville State University has set up a review process for student organization programs that throw events related to Black, LGBTQ+ and women’s history. The HBCU has also changed the process for approving student organizations.
Joel Ford, a BOG member that voted against the policy change in May, said he believes the System’s institutions “still have the ability to attract and retain minority students.”
“All of our institutions are making sure that everyone is welcome and we’re being inclusive,” Ford said in a Wednesday committee meeting. “We are open to all, and it is our job and responsibility to educate everyone and to do our best to retain and graduate them with as little amount of debt as possible.”
Students, alumni and faculty at universities across the System disagree. Nathan Asher, a senior at Appalachian State, said now that there’s not a DEI office on campus, he worries where students will be able to go for trusted help.
“There’s already so many, not even microaggressions, but full-on hate speech on campus,” Asher said. “Students are experiencing hate speech all the time; I have, many of my friends have. Now it’s a little less clear what you’re supposed to do if you’ve experienced something like that.”
When asked how BIPOC students are better served by the DEI policy repeal, UNC System President Peter Hans said “savings have been reinvested in student success for students of all backgrounds and all beliefs.”
Through program and job eliminations, the System’s universities have collectively “saved” $17 million.
“We believe that we will meet the students where they are,” Hans said. “Support them — academically, physically, intellectually, emotionally — throughout their college experience so that they can successfully graduate and be prepared for life after college.”
Going forward, university chancellors will have to annually certify to Hans that they are following the BOG’s “institutional neutral” policy. These reports will be due by Sept. 1 of each year.
