The University of North Carolina (UNC) System’s Board of Governors announced further cuts to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, redirecting $5.3 million from DEI initiatives. The decision, revealed at a Committee on University Governance meeting, follows earlier efforts to eliminate or realign DEI jobs, including 20 positions removed and 27 restructured.
The move comes after the board’s May decision to gut DEI funding and divert $2.3 million toward campus police. In total, the UNC system has eliminated 59 positions and realigned 131 others, saving over $17 million. Several DEI offices, including those at the Kenan-Flagler Business School and School of Medicine, have been closed, and DEI committees in various centers have been disbanded or repurposed.
Board members argue the cuts address concerns about DEI fostering division, with budget committee vice chairman Marty Kotis stating the need for more “unity and togetherness” on campus.
