The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill board of trustees (BOT) voted unanimously to axe its DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) program. Money will instead be allocated to campus safety.The UNC Board of Governors (BOG) in April voted to revoke a state policy mandating public universities to have a DEI office. The BOT called a highly unusual special meeting Monday morning to discuss the school’s budget, where they decided the $2.3 million initially planned to spend on DEI will be put to better use increasing “public safety” on campus, according to WUNC North Carolina public radio. The BOT’s budget and finance committee had earlier passed the “flex cut amendment” for UNC DEI programs, but now committee vice chair Marty Kotishas has called them “discriminatory and divisive.”He did not cite any examples, rather posed issues with the concept of DEI itself. “I think that DEI in a lot of people’s minds is divisiveness, exclusion and indoctrination,” Kotis said. “We need more unity and togetherness, more dialogue, more diversity of thought.”“While we may be an advisory board, we do have the power of the purse. And if we don’t want to approve programs that aren’t in compliance with our (non-discrimination) resolution, then we don’t have to.”According to the vice chair, he and other members on the BOT agree in the wake of ongoing anti-Israel protests on campus, any additional funding should be diverted to protecting students and staff from agitators that “disrupt the university’s operations.”“When you destroy property or you take down the US flag and you have to put up gates around it — that costs money,” Kotis said, referring to protests in recent weeks where 30 people were arrested at a UNC encampment. The US flag was taken down and replaced with a Palestine flag. “It’s imperative that we have the proper resources for law enforcement to protect the campus,” he said. .Budget committee chair David Boliek said it was a “shame” the majority of local Carrboro town council members condemned the university’s decision to call the police to the campus encampments. “The $2.3 million would be an added help to what is probably a budget issue with respect to how much we’re having to spend on law enforcement right now,” said Boliek. Chancellor Lee Roberts, who was present at the Monday morning meeting, did not comment on the diversion of DEI funding. .This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill board of trustees (BOT) voted unanimously to axe its DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) program. Money will instead be allocated to campus safety.The UNC Board of Governors (BOG) in April voted to revoke a state policy mandating public universities to have a DEI office. The BOT called a highly unusual special meeting Monday morning to discuss the school’s budget, where they decided the $2.3 million initially planned to spend on DEI will be put to better use increasing “public safety” on campus, according to WUNC North Carolina public radio. The BOT’s budget and finance committee had earlier passed the “flex cut amendment” for UNC DEI programs, but now committee vice chair Marty Kotishas has called them “discriminatory and divisive.”He did not cite any examples, rather posed issues with the concept of DEI itself. “I think that DEI in a lot of people’s minds is divisiveness, exclusion and indoctrination,” Kotis said. “We need more unity and togetherness, more dialogue, more diversity of thought.”“While we may be an advisory board, we do have the power of the purse. And if we don’t want to approve programs that aren’t in compliance with our (non-discrimination) resolution, then we don’t have to.”According to the vice chair, he and other members on the BOT agree in the wake of ongoing anti-Israel protests on campus, any additional funding should be diverted to protecting students and staff from agitators that “disrupt the university’s operations.”“When you destroy property or you take down the US flag and you have to put up gates around it — that costs money,” Kotis said, referring to protests in recent weeks where 30 people were arrested at a UNC encampment. The US flag was taken down and replaced with a Palestine flag. “It’s imperative that we have the proper resources for law enforcement to protect the campus,” he said. .Budget committee chair David Boliek said it was a “shame” the majority of local Carrboro town council members condemned the university’s decision to call the police to the campus encampments. “The $2.3 million would be an added help to what is probably a budget issue with respect to how much we’re having to spend on law enforcement right now,” said Boliek. Chancellor Lee Roberts, who was present at the Monday morning meeting, did not comment on the diversion of DEI funding. .This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.