The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Board of Trustees on Monday reportedly scrapped its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program in the wake of anti-Israel protests and instead diverted millions of dollars in funding to public safety. It was resolved to transfer the matter to campus police.
The board’s unanimous decision means that $2.3 million the university spends on DEI programs will be reallocated to police and public safety programs as part of the annual budget approval process, The News & Observer reported.
Last fiscal year, UNC-Chapel Hill’s operating budget exceeded $4 billion.
“My personal opinion is that the administration of the university has become bloated,” Board President David Boleek told the News & Observer, adding that some positions will be eliminated as a result. I expected it. “It’s important to cut back on government and redirect funding to public safety, education, and other initiatives that balance safety and roads.”
Anti-Israel demonstrators gather at UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor’s Office and paint red paint on the building
On April 30, 2024, anti-Israel demonstrators and police clash at UNC-Chapel Hill after replacing the American flag with the Palestinian flag. (Travis Long/News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Boriek noted that the policy was under consideration before the height of anti-Israel protests on campuses across the country, which began last month at UNC-Chapel Hill and resulted in several arrests. In response to the demonstrations, he said law enforcement agencies need more funding.
“It’s important to consider the needs of all 30,000 students, not just the 100 or so students who want to disrupt the university’s operations,” Kotis told the Raleigh, North Carolina-based newspaper. Ta.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the university and board of trustees for additional comment.
Monday’s special meeting was held in advance of the UNC Board of Governors, which oversees all 17 public universities in the state, scheduled to vote next week on limits on the statewide DEI program.
The board’s five-member University Governance Committee already passed a resolution last month to repeal and replace the DEI-related policies, but the full 24-member board must vote for the repeal to go into effect. There is a need.
Anti-Israel demonstrators exchange American flags for Palestinian flags at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at UNC-Chapel Hill on April 30, 2024. (Travis Long/News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
If the policy is completely repealed, the UNC System could join other major universities in eliminating its diversity office. Most notably, the University of Florida, Gainesville, announced in a memo last month that it would eliminate the office and instead shift funding toward faculty recruitment.
The proposed policy changes could impact the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Regulations adopted in 2019. The regulations define the roles of various DEI positions and the establishment of diversity and inclusion, including the System Office Diversity and Inclusion Liaison and the University System-wide Diversity Officer. Based on the policy, an Inclusion Council will be established consisting of members representing each university.
On April 30, 2024, police cleared an anti-Israel encampment at UNC-Chapel Hill. (Travis Long/News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Under this policy, officers’ responsibilities include assisting the president with diversity policies and programs, in addition to facilitating training for students and staff. But Andrew Tripp, senior vice president of the UNC System’s legal team, said the changes would reaffirm “the university’s commitment to nondiscrimination and institutional neutrality,” according to the Associated Press.
Policies that could replace existing regulations do not include a summary of responsibilities for DEI officials and liaisons, suggesting they may be repealed. The replacement policy, scheduled for a vote in Raleigh next week, says the university will continue its inclusion efforts, including tracking diversity metrics and reporting to the University Board of Trustees.
In the early hours of April 30, 2024, approximately 1,000 demonstrators gathered in the South Building after police cleared the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at UNC Chapel Hill. (Travis Long/News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
UNC-Chapel Hill, the system’s flagship campus whose website says it has an office for diversity and inclusion with a staff of 12, is considering policy changes and, if implemented, It will work with the university system, spokesman Kevin Best said in an emailed statement to the university. Associated Press last month.
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“As the Board of Trustees noted, equality of opportunity in education and employment is a long-standing commitment at the University of North Carolina as a core value in service to a vibrant and growing state,” Best said. Ta. “As part of that mission, UNC-Chapel Hill will continue to welcome people from all walks of life, with diverse experiences and perspectives, who come here to learn, work and live.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
