Schools within the University of North Carolina System cut nearly five dozen positions, reassigned roughly 130 more and redirected more than $17 million in funding to comply with a new system-wide diversity policy.
The system's Board of Governors repealed a 2019 diversity and inclusion policy and replaced it with a policy focused on "principled neutrality" in April. The 16 universities within the system, including the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, had until Sept. 1 to comply with the new policy.
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"Some will say that the campuses went too far. Some will say the campuses didn't go far enough," Andrew Tripp, general counsel for the Board of Governors, said during his presentation of the reports. "It's ultimately the Board of Governors that will judge campuses' compliance with the policies now in an ongoing fashion between now and next year."
Tripp said the reports "document significant efforts by each campus to reemphasize student success, employee well being and institutional neutrality."
UNC-Chapel Hill eliminated 20 positions, the most in the system, and redirected more than $5.3 million in savings to student success initiatives, according to a report compiled by the Board of Governors.
In Chapel Hill, the university eliminated seven positions within the central administration and six in the School of Medicine, among other cuts. UNC-CH reassigned its senior associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion to be its senior associate dean for faculty and staff development, a new position focused on supporting and creating leadership and mentoring opportunities for faculty and staff.
"Our plan is compliant with the new UNC System policy." the university said in a statement. "It includes the dissolution of the University Office for Diversity and Inclusion and the reassignment of its personnel and programs to other divisions of the university that support the success, well-being and sense of community that help our students, staff and faculty thrive. We have an unwavering commitment to provide a welcoming environment for all North Carolinians."
North Carolina State University eliminated eight positions, reassigned a system-high 29 positions and redirected nearly $5 million in savings. In Raleigh, the university eliminated its entire Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity, for example.
Board of Governors member Woody White said the schools "aggressively implemented" regulations put in place by the 2019 policy that expanded diversity and inclusion efforts.
"i don't see the same level of velocity at all once with the repeal and replace with these reports that I see," he said.
North Carolina Central University in Durham cut one position, reassigned two others and redirected less than $12,000 in savings. Two other historically black universities — Fayetteville State University and Winson-Salem State University — reported $0 in redirected savings.
The Board of Governor's repeal-and-replace plan came after the U.S. Supreme Court's struck down affirmative action policies on admission at universities, including UNC-CH, which was a defendant in the case. The school's first class after the ruling was less diverse with fewer Black students than in the past.
In light of the moves, Board of Governors member Joel Ford asked that UNC System President Peter Hans assure members of the public that the system is dedicated to students from all backgrounds and races.
"I really need for your to step up right now and make sure that the listening public understands that as a public institution and system that we are open to all and that we are inclusive and that 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," Ford said.
Hans replied: "That remains our obligation under federal law, state law, and our moral obligation as well."