N.C. Universities Have Cut 59 Positions Since DEI Policy Repeal

By Ryan Quinn

North Carolina’s four-year public universities have eliminated 59 positions and “realigned” about 130 more since the University of North Carolina Board of Governors repealed the system’s DEI policy, according to a newly released summary from the UNC system.

In May, the board voted 22 to 2 to repeal and replace its policy with one that doesn’t mention race. The board required universities to report on their efforts to comply by the start of last week, and the UNC System released the results from this “equality certification” Wednesday.

The system—which includes 16 institutions with and without the UNC moniker, plus a specialized high school—said the changes have saved roughly $17.1 million so far. UNC Chapel Hill cut the most positions, 20, followed by UNC Charlotte, which cut nine, and North Carolina State University, which cut eight. Four institutions eliminated zero positions: Fayetteville State, Winston-Salem State, UNC Greensboro and the UNC School of the Arts.

UNC Chapel Hill’s own submission said it had cut, among other offices and positions, its central Office of Diversity and Inclusion, its vice provost for equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, and its School of Medicine vice dean for DEI. Among the realigned positions was that of senior associate dean for DEI, which has been renamed senior associate dean for faculty and staff development. The job description no longer mentions DEI and instead includes tasks such as “supporting best practices for faculty and staff recruitment and retention.”

“Our plan is compliant with the new UNC System policy,” UNC Chapel Hill said in a statement. “We have an unwavering commitment to provide a welcoming environment for all North Carolinians.” UNC Chapel Hill and the UNC system didn’t provide interviews Wednesday. System spokesperson Andy Wallace said in an email that “it was up to the institutions to determine how to comply with the policy.”

NC Newsline reported that, at a UNC system board committee meeting Wednesday, Andrew Tripp, a senior vice president and general counsel for the system, said the universities were undertaking a “Herculean task that will continue for sure.”

But the Raleigh News & Observer reported that board member Woody White suggested universities hadn’t moved fast enough to comply with the board’s new policy. “I don’t think it’s our job to go school to school, report to report, position to position—that’s a chancellor’s job,” White said, according to the newspaper. “I do think it’s our job, however, to ensure that the policies are being meaningfully implemented.”