Carol Folt Stepping Down as UNC Chancellor

Carol Folt announced on Monday that she would be stepping down as chancellor at UNC – Chapel Hill at the end of the academic year.

Folt also took action Monday to authorize the removal of the base and commemorative plaques from the site of the Confederate Monument known as Silent Sam.

The statue was toppled last August. But the base and the plans for the future of the site have been a point of contention in recent months.

“As chancellor, the safety of the UNC-Chapel Hill community is my clear, unequivocal and non-negotiable responsibility. The presence of the remaining parts of the monument on campus poses a continuing threat both to the personal safety and well-being of our community and to our ability to provide a stable, productive educational environment. No one learns at their best when they feel unsafe. The independent panel of safety experts we convened in November to help us review options for the monument that we presented to the UNC Board of Governors made a strong and compelling case for risks to public safety. The fact that despite our best efforts even since then, threats have continued to grow and place our community at serious risk has led me to authorize this action.”

You can read the full message from Folt here.

Several members of the UNC – Chapel Hill Board of Trustees issued a statement supporting Folt’s decision. The UNC System Board of Governors chair then issued a statement saying he was “incredibly disappointed” by Folt’s resolution.

Folt took over as chancellor in July 2013.

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