When the UNC Board of Governors voted to remove the required Diversity and Inclusion policy throughout the
UNC System, my first thought was a question — what could a university possibly have to gain from this?
How are student and faculty organizations who pride themselves on championing DEI policy supposed to
operate? How are students who feel a sense of belonging because of DEI initiatives supposed to feel?
In a Southern state like North Carolina, it's already difficult to see proportional representation of
minorities and marginalized people in schools. I wondered if this decision might turn people away from
applying to UNC.
Two weeks later, all I had was more questions, including — why haven't I heard any updates on this change?
While away from campus this summer, I felt in the dark, and it was hard to find information. Coming into my
position as editor-in-chief, I did not want that same feeling for our audience.
Although it’s in my job description to attend and stay informed on BOG meetings where they discuss these
issues, it's not in the job description of the general student body. And while it may feel like things are
happening in a blink of an eye, and the limited information you can find exists on social media or from
hearsay, it does not have to feel this way.
I knew DEI policy within the University, the UNC System and the state would be a big topic for the paper
this year. I also knew that The DTH has a history of underrepresenting and harming communities that would
likely have a direct stake in this policy change. I knew that there were questions people would have about
how this change affects the University, their friends, loved ones and themselves.
The DEI edition is a culmination of our staff working to provide context and answers to some of these
questions. Every story and column in this paper has a DEI angle, attempting to not only answer questions
about policy but look deeper into DEI on a wider scale.
Our special edition site, holds more content and, hopefully, answers to the questions you have been asking
yourself. No one should have to be in the dark about these issues, and we at The DTH would not be doing our
jobs properly if we did not comprehensively try to answer them.
The front page of this issue features students, professors and leaders in the DEI space, who have been
outspoken about the topic or the work they do in their respective organizations. We wanted everyone to
remember that there are real people behind a policy decision, and these decisions will make a lasting impact
on our university.
It’s our job to not let these changes go undocumented.
When you open the paper, you’ll find 16 pages of something that started out as a question I had over the
summer. I hope it does its job in providing context for all of our readers, no matter your personal opinions
on the topic.
This is the DEI edition.
"The political state of North Carolina and the country more broadly have heavily warped policymakers and invested parties' grasps on the value of DEI. However, make no mistake, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are not frivolous nor are they easily dismissed."
The construction of Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black History and Culture was delayed for nearly 20 years. Many are wary of what the future holds with the changes surrounding DEI and affirmative action.
Professors Frank Baumgartner and Keely Muscatell weigh in on what diversity, equity and inclusion mean to them.
“Power and the way that it is marshaled as a resource is really enticing as a political tool,” Meredith Clark, an associate professor at UNC Hussman said. “And DEI is a way for political figures to divide different folks and get them to think about one another as enemies or as different.”
After the UNC System Board of Governors repealed system-wide policy requiring Diversity, Equity and Inclusion services this May, UNC-CH and all other system schools released updated funding guidelines for money previously allocated to DEI efforts. UNC's annual equality certification and report details the updated use of approximately $5.39 million previously used for DEI initiatives.
UNC Assistant Professor in Performance Studies Lisa Calvente reflects on the dismantling of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies at UNC — and how now, perhaps more than before, her job is critical to educating students about DEI.
