Update on Higher Ed Attacks
A new school year calls for a news update: the attacks on universities have continued. The latest at Carolina came just this week as the conservative group The Oversight Project requested the syllabi of 74 UNC courses using keywords including “DEI,” “LGBTQ+” and “anti-racism.” This follows a gutting of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) hiring […]
Application Status: Rejected Due to Preyer Commitments?
The response to last week’s piece about Bill Belichick and faculty salaries was overwhelming. If you missed it in your inbox, you can check it out here. Whether or not you think Belichick is the right fit for UNC, it’s clear there is concern about UNC’s priorities when weighing sports versus academics – and the […]
UNC Trustees Exposed for Inappropriately Meddling in Admissions
Just in time for the holidays, a story broke about the secret gifts a few UNC Trustees have been giving their well-connected friends: improper and unfair advantages in the UNC admissions process. In December, the publication The Assembly attained a slew of text messages through a public records request that exposed the undue influence Trustees […]
UNC Takes a Step Backward on Racial Diversity
UNC has taken a serious step back from its commitment to fairness and equal opportunity. Black student enrollment in this year’s freshman class dropped from 10.5% to 7.8%, Hispanic enrollment dropped from 10.8% to 10.1%, and Native American enrollment dropped from 1.6% to 1.1%. This is the first class to be admitted since the U.S. […]
Trustee Ralph Meekins Speaks Up Against Diversity Overreach
One voice of courage and conscience spoke up this month in the debate over diversity at UNC. Trustee Ralph Meekins, a Shelby attorney, said, “I am totally against” the Board of Trustee’s vote May 13 to remove from the UNC budget $2.3 million for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs and to redirect the money to […]
Exposing the Right-Wing Attack on Diversity – at UNC and Across America
We knew UNC was under attack. Now we know it’s an attack on universities across the country. It’s a well-funded, coordinated, nationwide campaign against diversity. The New York Times has exposed the strategy – and the underlying bigotry – of the campaign, one conceived and carried out by a network of conservative donors, think tanks […]
Little wonder why Kevin Guskiewicz might leave
We have been granted permission by Higher Ed Works to republish the following post in its entirety. By Paul Fulton WINSTON-SALEM (November 21, 2023) – There’s little wonder why UNC Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz is entertaining a new job. Guskiewicz is reportedly a finalist for the presidency at Michigan State University.1 Though he is a […]
A New Assault on Carolina is Happening
We are seeing signs of a more extreme political assault against UNC – and indeed all of higher education. Trustees Welcome a Harsh Critic Heather Mac Donald, a fellow from the right-leaning Manhattan Institute, spoke last week to the external affairs committee of the UNC Board of Trustees. She told the trustees that eliminating affirmative […]
Next Trustees’ Chair: An Advocate – or Attack Dog?
Members of the UNC Board of Trustees, especially the board chair, should first and foremost be advocates and champions for the University. But John Preyer, who expects to be elected soon as the next chair, has in recent weeks attacked the faculty and administration. First, Preyer has said he does not believe the University’s faculty […]
Who’s “Obsessed”?
The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal has an obsession with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In a July 10 post, the Center breathlessly declared, “Chapel Hill’s DEI Obsession Was Mandated at the Top: The Martin Center has uncovered a startling email from the chancellor’s office.” In tones that echo UFO conspiracists, the post said […]