UNC board votes to eliminate DEI efforts at NC public universities including UNC Asheville

The UNC Board of Governors adopted a policy requiring "institutional neutrality" and eliminating funding for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in a nearly unanimous vote May 23 at its regular meeting in Raleigh, with all but two members voting in favor.

The vote repeals two DEI policies adopted in September 2019, which required each of the state’s 17 public campuses — which include UNC Asheville, Western Carolina University and Appalachian State — employ roles such as a chief diversity officer and to set goals for advancing diversity and inclusion, among other requirements.

The Board of Governors has 23 voting members. The two “no” votes came from members Joel Ford and Sonja Phillips Nichols. Two board members, Gene Davis and Pearl Burris-Floyd, spoke in the meeting regarding the policy and why it had their support prior to the vote.

“DEI programs and their predecessors have done a lot of good for a lot of people,” Davis said. “That being said, I have been made aware of things that have been done in the name of DEI that have made me uncomfortable and that I believe actually result in our university communities being less welcoming to all.”

Burris-Floyd, who retired from the DEI field in December, said that “diversity, equity and inclusion — and I must add, belonging — are a part of growing. Did everyone who taught (DEI) get it right? No, they didn’t. Some people said things that were not true and that has hurt the fabric and the ability to carry things forward. But that does not mean that we stop.”

“Even if it's not called diversity, equity and inclusion, we have a path forward,” Burris-Floyd said.

Students across the UNC system attended a rally before the board meeting, including some from UNC Asheville. Liv Barefoot, president of UNCA's Student Government, spoke at the rally "in regard to the Board of Governors' blatant disregard for the inherent benefit of protecting DEI in the UNC system," according to a social media post.

"I'll be frank, our campus is already facing enrollment struggles as are other universities in the wake of Covid and other understandable national emergent concerns over the cost of a college degree," Barefoot said at the rally.

"But make no mistake, I believe with the ever-increasing anti-DEI policies, this struggle and deficit will worsen in severity, seeing as the pressure from the Board of Governors can be speculated to have already forced universities to be neutral on matters and issues that today's students care about."

Barefoot said the UNCA student government has heard from students who have "escaped other states" that have "already gutted DEI policies," choosing to go to UNCA and other UNC system schools they believe "to foster diverse, equitable and inclusive communities." They also received responses that students "never would've attended a UNC system institution if they had known this policy could take effect."

What's next?

The chancellor and student affairs director at each institution must provide written certification of compliance and what actions they’ve taken to comply with "the University's commitment to institutional neutrality and nondiscrimination” by Sept. 1.

They’ll also have to report reductions in force and spending, "along with changes to job titles and position descriptions, undertaken as a result of implementing this policy and how those savings achieved from these actions can be redirected to initiatives related to student success and wellbeing," the policy says.

In a brief update sent to UNC Asheville’s staff and faculty in April, Chancellor Kimberly van Noort said the university “continues to review the proposed policy” ahead of this week’s vote.

“If the new policy moves forward, we expect that the System Office will provide us with implementation guidelines,” van Noort said in the email obtained by the Citizen Times.

“Following the Board’s approval of the policy changes, we’re awaiting guidance on how they will affect UNC Asheville," Van Noort said in her weekly update to campus the afternoon of May 23.

"Senior leaders at the University will share timely, detailed updates on this process throughout the summer as more information becomes available,” van Noort said.

Appalachian State University Interim Chancellor Heather Norris, regarding the policy change when it was proposed, reaffirmed the school’s commitment to supporting students.

“While there are a lot of unknowns, and we cannot answer questions about specific implementation details at this time, I can assure you our university’s commitment to supporting all of our students is unwavering, and we remain dedicated to providing a compassionate, high-quality college experience that is focused on student success,” Norris said in an email obtained by the Citizen Times.

“Upon adoption, this measure will turn to our chancellors and interim chancellors from across the system and they will be asked to look at the programs on their various campuses with an eye towards altering any program that has been less than welcoming and keep and even supplementing any programs that have been successful in accomplishing goals amplified by this measure,” Davis said to the board.

This move follows a trend in higher education. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, 85 anti-DEI bills have been introduced in 28 states and the U.S. Congress, 14 of which have become law since 2023.

Other institutions in the UNC system have already voted to reallocate funds away from DEI programs. As part of its annual budget approval process earlier this month, the UNC Chapel Hill Board of Trustees unanimously voted to reallocate the $2.3 million spent on DEI programs toward police and other public safety measures, USA TODAY previously reported.

This story will be updated.

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Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: UNC board approves policy to override DEI effort at NC public colleges