This week, the board of governors for the University of North Carolina (UNC) System voted to replace its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. The change will impact its 17 public universities across the state.
According to The Hill, the decision, made on Thursday, works to “ensure equality of all persons & viewpoints” and replace a previous policy implemented in 2019.
“Campuses shall continue to implement programming or services designed to have a positive effect on the academic performance, retention, or graduation of students from different backgrounds, provided that programming complies with the institutional neutrality specified in Section VII of this policy and/or other state and federal requirements,” the new policy reads.
ABC 11 noted that two board members voted against repealing the policy. One of them, Sonja Nichols, told the outlet that some voices were not heard during the process.
"DEI is for everybody," Nichols said. "As (someone who's) Black, as a woman, I've just always wanted to be (in) a situation where all the voices are heard. Everyone has an opportunity to express why they feel that the DEI policy was so important. It's been so important over the years."
Board of Governors Chair Randy Ramsey, who supported the repeal, told ABC11 in a statement that repealing DEI programs would promote intellectual freedom.
Before the decision, UNC Chapel Hill reportedly decided to divert its DEI funding to public safety.
The UNC system is the latest to reverse its decision to implement DEI. Earlier this month, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced that it will no longer require prospective faculty to submit a “diversity statement” during the interview process.
As Townhall covered, in their statements, candidates were required to explain how they would enhance the university’s commitment to diversity. These statements were generally a page long.
“My goals are to tap into the full scope of human talent, to bring the very best to M.I.T. and to make sure they thrive once here,” MIT President Sally Kornbluth said in a statement. “We can build an inclusive environment in many ways, but compelled statements impinge on freedom of expression, and they don’t work.”
In January, the Florida Department of Education approved a new rule that would prohibit state colleges from using public funding towards initiatives surrounding DEI.
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