The 17 schools in North Carolina’s university system have been given a blueprint for fighting discrimination and promoting racial equity on their campuses.

The UNC System Racial Equity Task Force unveiled its 65-page final report Wednesday at the Board of Governors meeting, the News & Record of Greensboro reported Thursday. The report, which caps six months of work, contains six broad recommendations and 28 suggested actions.

The task force was formed about two weeks after a white Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd, a Black man, by kneeling on his neck.

“In our quest for excellence in the space of racial inclusion, equity and diversity, our system has a lot of room for improvement,” said Reginald Ronald Holley, a board member and task force chairman. “But we cannot embrace this idea on an intermittent basis.”

The report suggests improvements in recruitment, retention and promotion practices to build a racially diverse student body, workforce and university leadership. It recommends increasing financial aid and college counseling, recruiting more students of color for teacher training programs and diversifying campus boards of trustees.

It also calls for each campus and the university system to set up programs to support racial equity and inclusion. These programs could help students of color stay in school and close a 19-point gap in graduation rates between white and Black students, the task force said.

University police departments should have more consistent training and procedures across institutions, it says, and all officers should be equipped with body-worn cameras and non-lethal devices in addition to firearms. Campus police should refer more students to counseling or the student conduct process, rather than prosecuting them criminally, it says.

“We live in one of the most diverse states in the country, and our university must offer a welcoming and supporting environment for students, staff and faculty of all backgrounds,” UNC System President Peter Hans said. “There are people in every part of the state concerned about fairness (and) justice, and our success will go a long way in determining theirs.”

Related Stories
‹
UNC System Sees Record Enrollment; Approves Presidential Choice of Chancellor Candidates
The UNC System Board of Governors approved a change to the system president’s role in selecting chancellor candidates, as well as announced record enrollment for the 2020-2021 academic year. The board had a mix of members meet either in Chapel Hill or virtually Thursday morning to tackle a full agenda during its first gathering of […]
UNC System Chooses Kenan-Flagler Alum, Former Domino's CEO as Latest UNC-Chapel Hill Trustee
Ritch Allison — who was formally selected Thursday by the UNC System — will fill the Board of Trustees seat left vacant by Dave Boliek.
Here's What UNC President Peter Hans Said About Picking Lee Roberts to Lead UNC-Chapel Hill
The UNC Board of Governors approved Lee Roberts to take off the ‘interim’ tag to his role as chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill on Friday. The vote by the board came after UNC System President Peter Hans nominated Roberts and gave an extended speech on the selection process, Roberts’ approach to leadership, and his own vision […]
Board of Governors Set Friday Meeting to Elect New UNC Chancellor
The search for the next permanent UNC chancellor is coming to a close, as the UNC Board of Governors will hold a special meeting on Friday.
UNC Trustees Divert DEI Funding, Voice Athletics Concerns During Budget Talks
Ahead of the consideration of the university’s proposed budget for 2024-25, the UNC Board of Trustees voted on Monday to move all funding for diversity, equity and inclusion-specific programs to the campus’ public safety efforts. The decision to divert $2.3 million from DEI efforts came during a specially-called meeting of the board and its budget, […]
'Ready to Roll Up My Sleeves': UNC Interim Chancellor Shares Early Impressions On the Job
UNC Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts spoke with the media on Thursday for the first time since being named to the role in December.
UNC Housekeepers Rally in Chapel Hill, Raleigh for Pay Raises
Several housekeepers, students and community members gathered for rallies on Wednesday to call for action from the UNC Board of Governors.
Court OKs Dismissing UNC Student Suit Seeking Virus Refunds
Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A trial judge was correct to dismiss a lawsuit filed by then-University of North Carolina students seeking tuition, housing and fee refunds when in-person instruction was canceled during the 2020 spring semester as the coronavirus pandemic began, the state Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday. Several students at UNC system campuses and […]
NC Governor Wants Changes to How UNC Governing Boards Chosen
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday announced a new commission tasked with making recommendations on changing how the boards guiding the University of North Carolina system and its 17 member schools are chosen, bidding to broaden their membership by political leanings, race and gender. The Democratic governor essentially blamed the Republican-controlled […]
Court: UNC Students Can Seek Covid Semester Reimbursement
Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Students at the University of North Carolina can continue their lawsuit seeking monetary damages for fees they paid before in-person fall 2020 classes were canceled due to COVID-19, a state appeals court ruled. A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals decided on Tuesday that a trial judge correctly last year refused […]
›