Live Webinar: Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 10:30 am.
Coalition for Carolina co-founders Roger Perry and Mimi Chapman will lead a discussion with UNC Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts. They’ll ask Roberts questions he hasn’t heard in any other interview and Roberts will be asked questions submitted by webinar participants.
: https://bit.ly/49VCqwi
Heather Mac Donald FOIA Emails Shed New Light on Her Campus Visit
Two outside groups – the UNC Alumni Free Speech Alliance (AFSA) and the Martin Center for Academic Renewal – worked closely with two UNC trustees to bring a reactionary critic of higher education to campus last fall.
During her appearance, Heather Mac Donald claimed that affirmative action had led universities like UNC to admit unqualified and ill-prepared students – an assertion that was immediately challenged by one trustee, the student body president and then-Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz.
Mac Donald, a prolific writer and speaker and a fellow at the right-leaning Manhattan Institute, also said:
- Universities are “desperate to get their numbers of Black students up, even if doing so imposed a terrible handicap on those students”.
- Female students “way, way outscore on the trait of neuroticism.”
- Today’s universities are “irredeemable,” and college enrollments across the country could be cut by 90%.
You can read more about her visit in our November 17 report, “A New Assault on Carolina is Happening” https://coalitionforcarolinafoundation.org/a-new-assault-on-carolina-is-happening/.
Who brought Mac Donald to UNC – and why?
The prime movers were Douglas D. Monroe III, a UNC graduate from Richmond who is past president of AFSA, and Jenna A. Robinson, president of the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal.
They worked closely with UNC Trustee Ramsey White and John Preyer, the Board of Trustees’ current chair.
We know this thanks to emails obtained through a public records request.
In the emails, Monroe, Robinson, White and Preyer repeatedly expressed their admiration for Mac Donald and her views about higher education. Preyer said he was “a big fan.”
Monroe said “she would be a great coach for any classes on rhetoric that Carolina’s new Department of Civil Leadership (sic) might sponsor.”
Neither faculty nor administration were consulted or involved in arranging Mac Donald’s appearance before the Board of Trustees’ external affairs committee in November. The night before, she spoke at a dinner meeting held by AFSA, which has no official connection with UNC
Highlights from the emails:
- Mac Donald was paid $11,000 each for her appearances before UNC AFSA and before the Jefferson Council at the University of Virginia the next day. Monroe emailed Mac Donald, “Of course, we are covering all expenses, plus the speaker fee for both.” He said expenses would include flights, limo service and hotels (Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill and “most likely” the Boar’s Head Inn in Charlottesville).
- Monroe, who lives in Richmond and went to UNC and UVA, was instrumental in arranging both visits.
- Monroe told White, “I doubt there is anyone more knowledgeable about the DEI and Affirmative Action issues at universities nationwide than Heather. Thought you and the other trustees might see her as a valuable resource for ideas and approaches from around the country.”
- The UNC and UVA groups are part of a national network of Alumni Free Speech Alliance chapters, including at Davidson, Princeton, Yale and Harvard; some 20 chapters in all. See list at https://www.uncafsa.org/.
- The emails contain critical and dismissive comments about then-Chancellor Guskiewicz, including his announcement last year about expanding free tuition to deserving students. White wrote Monroe on July 10, “Unfortunately, neither the trustees, board of governors, nor the legislature knew of the Chancellor’s free tuition announcement. Our July meeting will be a robust and full discussion, I’m sure.”
- Monroe wrote White, “I like Kevin but think he and Dean White have some accounting and explaining to do in the coming year.”
- Monroe praised North Carolina as the “good state that’s effectively banned (via state legislation) DEI and declared for institutional political neutrality.” In another email, he told Mac Donald: “Good stuff happening in NC!:)”
- He said, “I really think the State of NC can offer a blueprint for other great universities to follow to pursue academic freedom, merit, excellence and justice.”
- They celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against UNC’s affirmative action program.
- Jennifer Robinson took aim at UNC’s “Power, Difference, Inequality” requirement in the General Education program. Mac Donald responded: “Classic. A typical seedbed of the lunatic intersectional coalition we are now seeing supporting Hamas.”
- Monroe described Robinson to White as “a rock star” and called the Martin Center “indispensable.” He said Robinson is on both the UNC and national AFSA boards.
Our Coalition has their attention.
After Mac Donald’s appearance, the group circulated our post (see link above). We criticized her remarks and showed how they are part of a coordinated, nationwide attack on higher education.
White emailed Mac Donald: “You have now seen one of our biggest critics, ‘Coalition for Carolina.’ I’m sure you won’t be surprised their origins are from past Board members with a seat at the table, no longer. Your data-driven approach is respected, and a way forward, in my opinion.”
White wrongly characterized our coalition. We do have former trustees in our membership, and we also have 30,000-plus other members who are concerned alumni, friends and supporters of UNC.
We believe that Mac Donald and this national network of right-wing groups are doing great damage to higher education generally and to UNC especially.
They want to remake UNC in Mac Donald’s model.
They cloak their attacks on diversity under the mantle of “free speech.” That appears to mean free speech for themselves, but no discussion on campus of diversity, equal opportunity and the history of racial prejudice in America.
We strongly support free speech, for everyone, on all sides. We also support the freedom of UNC to govern itself without government overreach and one-sided outside interference.
We reject the elitism and extremism that reactionaries try to force on UNC.
We believe that UNC is great precisely because it has stood throughout its history for fairness and equal opportunity for all.
We will continue to stand up for light and liberty.
There is a right wing reactionary push in this country and the deep pockets money people in this country are using the higher education programs as a punching bag to help them achieve their goals. It is all tied to the profit motive and the debunking of a liberal arts education as less than optimal for students trying to forge a career for themselves. Their view is basically that taxes are not a feasible option for reducing the national debt; however, if students can be convinced that the so-called liberal establishment is holding them back then the nativist American program can be advanced and Trump’s dogma of the “new Great America” can begin to be rolled out . They are very close to achieving their goals because Americans do not read critically anymore. They are to tied to their Tech “screens.” Additionally, one third of American newspapers have disappeared and two thirds of newspaper journalists have lost their jobs, so there is a deficiency of watchdogs.