The University of North Carolina (UNC) Board of Governors has reaffirmed its opposition to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programming. This decision follows the release of undercover videos showing university staff allegedly circumventing previous guidance intended to eliminate such initiatives.
According to Inside Higher Ed, on May 23, 2024, the UNC Board of Governors voted 22–2 to repeal its 2019 DEI policy and adopt a replacement focused on “institutional neutrality.” This new policy mandates campuses to eliminate DEI offices and report compliance by September 1. The decision is part of a broader trend in conservative-led states aiming to reduce ideological programming in higher education. The policy change highlights ongoing tensions between maintaining nondiscrimination and ending what critics describe as ideological activism within university administration.
As reported by WUNC, following the board’s decision, the new policy directs chancellors to reduce DEI-related spending or positions and submit compliance reports by September 2024. During the vote, board members emphasized that staff—not students or faculty—must avoid institutional advocacy on social issues while preserving academic freedom in research and teaching. This reflects the board’s objective to delineate campus operations from political or social activism.
According to BPR News, undercover videos released in June 2025 revealed Western Carolina University’s director of institutional assessment admitting they were “trying to embed” DEI across campus functions so it “can’t be legislated out,” leading to her departure by mid-April. Similar recordings from UNC Asheville’s Dean of Students and UNC Charlotte officials showed efforts to continue DEI work covertly despite the board’s explicit ban. Consequently, all three implicated staff members were swiftly removed, with institutions clarifying that none were authorized to represent official policy.
The UNC Board of Governors is a 24-member body appointed by the General Assembly that oversees the 17-campus University of North Carolina system. It is responsible for setting tuition rates, academic standards, and high-level policy through the UNC System Office based in Chapel Hill. The recent repeal of DEI policy reflects its broader mandate to enforce institutional neutrality, academic freedom, and nondiscrimination in public universities.
