Message from Chancellor: Equality Policy Awareness

Dear Colleagues: 

Thank you for launching the fall semester with energy and dedication. Your continued commitment to our students and to each other sets the tone for another successful academic year at UNCW, and I am grateful for your service and support. 

As part of our shared responsibility to uphold the highest professional standards in all academic and administrative operations, I want to draw attention to our responsibilities under the UNC System Equality Policy, 300.8.5. UNC Wilmington is one of 17 member institutions governed by the policies, procedures and guidance of the UNC System. This policy reaffirms commitment to ensuring equal opportunity in education and employment and to fostering respect for the dignity of others. It establishes clear guidelines for equality, institutional neutrality, nondiscrimination, academic freedom and freedom of expression across all campuses.  

In alignment with these standards, all faculty and staff are required to complete UNCW’s equality policy training by October 3, 2025 (the Friday before fall break). The training is available as an online module in Percipio. Select the link and then sign in to access the training, which is designed to ensure that each of us understands our responsibilities under the policy. It took me approximately five minutes to complete the training.

This summer, the UNC System instructed our Board of Trustees to appoint a subcommittee to confirm our efforts to comply with the policy, which includes reviewing our annual report, due September 1 (Labor Day). The subcommittee met on Aug. 13 for a briefing on the university’s 2024 compliance certification and Aug. 25 to review and verify UNCW’s 2025 certification prior to submission to the UNC System Office. Pending acceptance by the UNC Board of Governors, a link to the 2025 report will be added to the UNCW Equality Policy information webpage, compiled earlier this month as a resource for the campus and community.  

Employees are expected to obey federal, state and local laws and university policies, including those from the UNC System and UNCW. This responsibility is shared across all campus constituencies, and leaders are accountable for ensuring that their areas of supervision operate in accordance with institutional expectations. Each of us plays a critical role in sustaining a campus culture of integrity that includes meeting regulatory requirements.

If you have questions about legal or policy compliance, please contact your vice chancellor or reach out to the Office of General Counsel at 910.962.4027 or schererj@uncw.edu.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your continued commitment to sustaining a campus culture of integrity that includes meeting regulatory requirements.

With best regards,  

Aswani K. Volety
Chancellor