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, finance, and infrastructure committee, as the group discussed final details on the proposed budget before a deadline to get materials to the UNC System. The move was done through a “chancellor management flex to reapportion those dollars,” as described by committee chair David Boliek in the meeting. It also comes under the backdrop of the UNC System’s Board of Governors being set to consider a policy change to cut back or eliminate DEI programs statewide during the board’s meetings on May 22 and May 23, with its governance committee unanimously approving a revised policy during a brief meeting in April.
Boliek said earlier in the meeting he looked at cutting diversity, equity and inclusion funding because he believes such efforts are divisive, not productive, and do not bring a return on investment to either the campus or North Carolina. His vice chair on the committee, Marty Kotis, voiced his agreement and criticism of the DEI university’s programs.
“I think that ‘DEI’ in a lot of people’s minds is divisiveness, exclusion and indoctrination,” said Kotis. “We need more unity and togetherness, more dialogue, more diversity of thought. And a management flex cut that ensures compliance with [SFFA] and non-discrimination — and eliminates programs that are discriminatory and divisive — I think is appropriate.”
Members of the UNC Board of Trustees meet in South Building, while Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts and Board Member Vinay Patel watch over a Zoom broadcast on May 13, 2024. (Photo via UNC-Chapel Hill.)
Meanwhile, Kotis went on to use the recent pro-Palestine demonstrations on campus as one reason to divert that $2.3 million to supporting campus police and public safety efforts. He referenced the latest round of public demonstrations on campus, where protesters with the UNC Students for Justice in Palestine organization poured red paint onto the steps and walls of South Building.
“When you have warring groups or divided groups, they can hurt each other, they can damage property like they did here in the South Building,” Kotis said. “Law enforcement is then forced to react to that, and they do not have all the tools they need to keep this campus safe from a larger threat. And it’s not this particular group that’s out there, it’s any large group could be gathering on campus as we’ve seen riots happening around the world. It’s important to consider the needs of 30,000 students, not just the 100 or so that want to disrupt the campus’ operations.”
After the motion was made to the committee, UNC Student Body President Jaleah Taylor asked the board whether it was advisable to wait until after the Board of Governors’ formal vote on the DEI policy change to make any funding shifts from related programs. Her question went unanswered in the room and the board vote to later accept the flex cut was unanimous.
Neither the UNC Board of Trustees or the Board of Governors governance committee expounded on whether cuts to DEI program would equate to elimination of jobs. The UNC System is expected to provide guidance to its campuses during the summer about how the policy, which would be effective immediately, should be implemented and campuses will have until September to create a plan to adjust any existing diversity and inclusion programs or initiatives.
The mission of the UNC Office of Diversity and Inclusion is to “to celebrate all members of the Carolina community, to broaden our collective understanding, and foster a sense of belonging by uplifting diverse identities, cultures, experiences, and perspectives” while creating a “diverse, inclusive and welcoming environment for all students, faculty, staff and alumni,” according to its website. The office, which was previous called the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, saw its current leadership of Vice Provost Leah Cox arrive in 2021 and supported by the administration of former UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz. But efforts to cut or eliminate funding for diversity programs have since picked up nationwide — including in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling against UNC in a case where justices determined using racial data in admissions processes violated the equal protection clause of the constitution’s 14th Amendment.
In addition to the DEI management flex cut, the Board of Trustees also voted to leave details out of one section of its budget proposal to the UNC System: the athletics department. Trustees discussed at length about wanting more, specific details on Carolina Athletics’ funding model and operations costs amid concerns about the shifting landscape of Division I college athletics and a potential budget shortfall. The board said it will consider doing an internal audit of the department to look at overall operational efficiency and to tackle a “$100 million cumulative deficit,” as described by Trustee Jennifer Evans. She said that total was seen based on projections revealed by the athletics department to the board in recent weeks and added there has been no plan presented yet to mitigate that.
“I don’t want anyone to think we’re talking in code,” said Evans. “There are real issues here, a real concern that one of our most valuable assets and something that really generates revenue, is not being managed properly. That is the need for the question-and-answer, and that is the need for the audit.”
Chair of the Board John Preyer said Monday he would vote down a budget consideration if specific athletics funding was included based on his concerns, pointing to interactions he recently had with Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham. He said he believed there were details “imperative for the board to hear in closed session” before moving forward with next fiscal year’s budget for athletics.
“I have tried to get more information from athletics and have had a couple of meetings with the athletic director,” Preyer said, “and, candidly, I end up with more concern and more questions having done that. In good conscience, I can’t approve the budget that includes athletics in it and I’m just going to say I’ll vote no if that’s what we’re doing today.”
As a result, the university will send its budget materials to the UNC System with specific athletics budget carved out — with the proposal saying the athletics budget will not exceed the $125 million allocated for the department, but that the trustees will hold a deeper discussion of the specific numbers at their meetings later in the week. That would include a potential vote on an internal audit headed up by the board’s audit, compliance and risk management committee.
The UNC Board of Trustees is slated to hold regular committee meetings and a full board meeting in-person on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning, respectively. The meetings will take place at The Spangler Center off Raleigh Road. To watch the full special meeting of the board from Monday, visit the university’s YouTube channel.
Photo via Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill.
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