50+ UNC – Chapel Hill Faculty Members Sign Petition Against HB2

More than 50 UNC – Chapel Hill faculty members have signed a statement asking for the repeal of House Bill 2, the controversial legislation pushed through the North Carolina legislature in a special session last week.

The bill, among other things, repeals a Charlotte City Council decision to extend the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance to the LGBT community.

The letter from the faculty says, in part, “The recently passed House Bill 2 makes it impossible for UNC-Chapel Hill and its surrounding communities to protect valued faculty, staff, and students from discrimination simply because of who they are.”

The faculty members, who acknowledged they were speaking for themselves and not UNC – Chapel Hill, added, “We are gravely concerned that House Bill 2, and the disturbing message it sends, will make it difficult for Carolina to find and retain the best faculty, staff, and students.”

The list of faculty members includes Barbara Rimer, dean of the Gillings School of Public Health, Doug Shackelford, dean of the Kenan-Flagler Business School, former dean of the School of Law Jack Boger and former Chancellor James Moeser.

UNC Chancellor Carol Folt said at the Board of Trustees meeting last Thursday, less than 24 hours after the bill was signed into law, that the university still needed to learn more about the law but the university’s goals would stay the same.

“Our spirit is for inclusivity and meeting needs and doing it in a way that has been very successful here and that’s what we will be doing our homework and trying to understand [the bill] and continue to meet the needs of people that come to the campus,” said Folt.

New UNC System President Margaret Spellings issued a statement on Tuesday after the UNC System and its Board of Governors were named in a lawsuit filed on Monday challenging HB2.

Spellings said, “I want to underscore UNC’s long-held commitment to making sure that the University of North Carolina and its campuses are welcoming, inclusive and safe places for students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds, beliefs and identities. I know that many across the UNC system are concerned about the implications of HB2. This law was passed last week, and since then we’ve been working to consider its full impact on the University community and UNC system operations.”

Spellings said the university stands “ready to work with the Governor and General Assembly as the lawsuit progresses. As we continue to assess the law’s scope, reach, and potential impact.”

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is running against incumbent Republican Governor Pat McCrory in November’s election, has announced that his office will not defend the state in the lawsuit over House Bill 2. The NC Department of Justice will instead defend nondiscrimination policies from the DOJ and the state Treasurer’s office. Cooper said on Tuesday that part of that argument would be that HB2 is unconstitutional.