Supporters, opposers speak out amid DEI policy change
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)– Reaction continues to come in following the UNC Board of Governors voting to repeal a nearly five-year-old diversity, equity, and inclusion policy.
The University of North Carolina System Board of Governors voted Thursday to repeal previous diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy mandates for the state’s public universities.
“I feel like it’s going to be a disservice for students. Not just black students, or students of color, for all students,” said Velva Jenkins with the YWCA of the Lower Cape Fear.
The new policy voids one that was established in 2019 that aimed to quote “foster an inclusive environment” and required each school to submit diversity and inclusion reports to the board of trustees each year.
“I just feel that we live in a very diverse society, and people should have the right to be included, be inclusive, in anything we do in America,” said Jenkins.
The new policy now requires UNC schools to “ensure equality of all persons & viewpoints,” and promote “nondiscrimination in employment practices.”
Velva Jenkins, YWCA of the Lower Cape Fear’s Chief Executive Officer believes this decision will have widespread impacts.
“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. So removing DEI isn’t only going to affect those it intended to affect. It’s going to affect all.
Nevin Carr, Chair of the NHC Republican Party, released in a statement regarding the policy change that reads,
“If you have to undergo brain surgery, do you want the best surgeon available, or one that Democrat politicians pick based on skin color? The Democrat Party has always been obsessed with racial discrimination, going back to Jim Crow and even slavery. The Republican Party supports a system based on merit where the best are able to rise to the top no matter someone’s skin color. Sounds like common sense, right? DEI is literally a system that discriminates on the basis of skin color instead of merit. It’s about time we get that primitive way of thinking out of our university system, along with the rest of our institutions.”
Woody White wrote an opinion piece about DEI in The Carolina Journal. He said in part,
“Instead of the generically positive connotations these words suggest, pernicious systems were constructed that imposed extreme ideology and allowed discrimination to occur before our very eyes in hiring practices and higher-education admission policies.”
“They’re not doing the right thing, and it’s time to speak out,” said Jenkins.
Only two members of the board voted against the policy change.
Changes are set to take effect immediately, although the system says campus changes are expected to be in place at the start of next school year.
