The University of North Carolina (UNC) System Board of Governors approved a new policy Thursday that alters the framework for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across its campuses, News & Observer reported.
The new policy is poised to reshape administrative and programmatic support for DEI at public universities in the state and has sparked debate and student protests. Previously, the UNC System mandated each of its 17 campuses to have a chief diversity officer and actively work towards specific diversity-related goals. However, the newly approved policy shifts the emphasis from diversity and inclusion to equality and non-discrimination, according to the News & Observer.
This change reflects a broader national trend, with 85 anti-DEI bills introduced across the country since 2023, Chronicle of Higher Education reported. The immediate effects of this policy are yet to be fully determined, as the UNC System’s legal…
