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Equality Within the UNC System

The UNC System’s Equality Policy reaffirms the university’s commitment to ensure equal opportunity in education and employment, as well as respect for the dignity of others. It establishes clear guidelines for ensuring equality, institutional neutrality, nondiscrimination, academic freedom and freedom of expression across all campuses. UNC Wilmington is one of 17 member institutions in the UNC System governed by its policies, procedures and guidance. 

A Brief History

In May 2024, the UNC System Board of Governors repealed and replaced Policy 300.8.5, formerly titled Policy on Diversity and Inclusion Within the University of North Carolina. This policy, titled Equality Within the University of North Carolina, reaffirms the system’s commitment to: 

  • Nondiscrimination 
  • Institutional neutrality 
  • Academic freedom 
  • Equal opportunity 
  • Student success 

In June 2024, the UNC System Division of Legal Affairs issued guidance on the implementation of the Equality Policy. In August 2024, the UNCW Office of General Counsel echoed and clarified guidance on the implementation and interpretation of the Equality Policy. In June 2025, the UNC Board of Governors issued a compliance memorandum that outlines steps each UNC campus must take to ensure full compliance with the Equality Policy by September 1, 2025, including forming a Board of Trustees subcommittee to oversee the comprehensiveness of university certification. The memorandum directs this certification through leadership briefings, evaluations of personnel realigned under the Equality Policy, webpage reviews, staff training and verification that office realignments support institutional neutrality, free expression and academic freedom. 

Main Policy Requirements

Institutional Neutrality 

University offices and roles must not be organized around or advocate for contemporary political or social issues. 

Prohibition of Compelled Speech 

No individual or office may be required to express or endorse specific beliefs or viewpoints. 

Prohibition of Promoting Certain Concepts 

Offices cannot promote political or social concepts through training, required beliefs or programming. 

Compliance at UNCW

  • On August 30, 2024, UNCW certified full compliance with the policy, which included the elimination of the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI). The 2024 UNCW report is available on the UNC System website.
  • The university approached the process with three principles: 
    • Comply with the policy’s requirements. 
    • Support students’ needs for continued success. 
    • Take care of our permanent staff to the best of our ability. Reassignment options were evaluated to avoid a reduction in force (RIF) of affected, permanent employees. 
  • A total of 16 full-time, permanent positions were eliminated. Of those, 3 were already vacant, and 13 were addressed through reassignment, transition to a faculty role, or had already separated from the university. 
  • Employees from the former OIDI were strategically reassigned to: 
    • The Student Engagement, Enrollment and Retention (SEER) team in Academic Affairs. 
    • The Campus Life team within Student Affairs to support student success, retention and co-curricular engagement. These positions were developed to support the existing centers (Upperman, Centro Hispano, Mohin-Scholz, Asian Heritage) that are allowable under System Office guidance issued on June 28, 2024.  
    • One position returned to a previous faculty appointment. 
    • Other existing vacant positions on campus, selected through a Human Resources review of job classification and/or experience and skill alignment. 
  • Each position has a clearly defined student success, recruitment or retention function, and does not replicate former DEI-focused responsibilities. 
  • The elimination of positions generated approximately $1.45 million in recurring salary and benefit savings. 
  • These funds were reinvested in: 
    • Need-based financial aid, advancing UNC System and UNCW priorities focused on access and student success. 
    • SEER positions supporting recruitment and retention pipelines. 
    • Coordinator-level roles in Campus Life focused on programming and student wellbeing. 
    • One director-level role in Campus Life to oversee the new center coordinator positions and programmatic functions. 
  • All former OIDI webpages were archived, and public-facing materials were updated to reflect realigned missions. During 2024-25, university content managers assessed approximately 800 webpages identified during website reviews, making necessary adjustments for policy compliance. 
  • The Office of General Counsel partnered with all the divisions on campus to ensure that it fielded and advised on any questions raised by the policy and the memoranda. During the fall of 2024 and into the spring of 2025, the General Counsel conducted “guidance dialogues” with various campus constituencies. These included briefings for Faculty and Staff Senate, as well as discussions with student organizations and advisory groups. Further, the General Counsel met with the leadership and divisions within the College of Health and Human Services: Nursing, SHAHS, Social Work; Watson College of Education; the Library; the College of Science and Engineering, particularly Environmental Science and Biology; the Cameron School of Business; and the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts. During and after these meetings, the Office of General Counsel has provided a constant source of information and advice on the interpretation and implementation of the policy. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Faculty retain control over classroom discourse, teaching, research and publication.

Faculty also retain input into curriculum. 

Faculty may pursue grants and form research groups freely, as long as they clarify they are not speaking on behalf of the university.  

Staff-conducted research must be reviewed for compliance, as it does not receive the same protections as faculty research. 

Student organizations are not subject to the institutional neutrality aspects of the policy. 

They may engage in advocacy and support specific communities, provided they do not officially represent the university.  

Faculty and staff may advise student groups voluntarily, without influencing or controlling content. 

University websites, social media and public communications must avoid endorsing political or social viewpoints.   

Content should focus on factual information about programs, services and events.  

DEI-related statements and references must be reviewed, revised and potentially removed from current materials.  

Archived content does not need to be deleted. 

Universities must certify full compliance with the policy by September 1 annually. This includes: 

  • Formation of a Board of Trustees subcommittee to oversee implementation. 
  • A report detailing actions taken to achieve compliance. 
  • An explanation of how any cost savings have been redirected to initiatives that support student success and well-being. 

 

Specific questions concerning the interpretation and application of laws and policies affecting the university, including the equality policy and guidance, may be addressed to the Office of General Counsel by email to schererj@uncw.edu or by phone to x4027.   

Visit the UNCW System Equality Policy webpage for access to the reports for UNCW and other institutions.  

Chair: Dr. Jimmy T. Tate ’99, ’01M, ’19M 

Members: Ms. Traci L. Butler, Ms. Frances "Perry" Chappell, Mr. Dane Scalise and Mr. Skyler A. Stein, SGA President 

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