After the recent announcement of the removal of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion office and positions from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, the statewide and local chapters of the NAACP responded.
The removal of the positions came after all but two of the UNC System Board of Governors members voted in May to repeal and replace its DEI policy. Since then, schools throughout the UNC System have been falling in line to comply with new rules.
According to a message from UNCW Chancellor Aswani K. Volety, the university evaluated reassignment options to avoid reduction in force of affected, permanent employees. Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Donyell Roseboro will return to the faculty in the Watson College of Education.
Roseboro allowed Volety to share her next steps, but according to Volety’s message, the university must keep other affected employees confidential until details are finalized. According to Volety, other employees were offered employment in Academic Affairs or Student Affairs.
State and local NAACP respond
President Deborah Dicks Maxwell of the North Carolina NAACP State Conference expressed deep concern over the timing of the closure, which was just weeks before the start of the academic year.
“This closure comes just weeks before students who are in need of guidance and assistance navigating the world of higher education arrive,” Maxwell stated in a press release. “Some might have opted to attend not only because of their major but because of the existence of DEI programs such as the Upperman African American Cultural Center, Centro Hispano, and the LGBTQIA Resource Center.”
LeRon Montgomery, president of the New Hanover County Branch of the NAACP criticized the decision, calling it an act against students and that it “reeks of those who wish to undermine those who do not look or act like them.”
“What message does this give to the community? You leave one staff member per center. This is unacceptable. Other schools lost DEI money and found ways to maintain their cultural centers through Student Affairs,” Montgomery said in the state NAACP’s release. “During this time in our history, this is when we need to show that diversity and equity are of the utmost importance to our community.”
What happens next?
The Upperman African American Cultural Center, Centro Hispano, the Mohin-Scholz LGBTQIA Resource Center and the Asian Heritage Cultural Center will not have a change in physical location on campus. But according to Volety, some aspects of their staffing and programming will change to comply with the new policy requirements and fit more in line with Student Affairs.
“The centers will continue to focus on creating and sustaining a sense of belonging for historically marginalized students while also providing support, service and educational programs to benefit all students,” Volety stated.
As the university prepares to implement changes, the state NAACP noted that questions remain about how the restructuring will affect the sense of belonging that students rely on. The release said the commitment to diversity and inclusion, as stated by Volety, will be closely scrutinized by both the university community and the wider public.
“There is one thing about UNCW that will not change, though, and that is our ongoing commitment to respect, understanding, belonging and support for every member of the Seahawk community,” Volety stated. “This is an important part of our mission as a public institution, and UNCW will continue to provide an outstanding educational experience for Seahawks from all walks of life.”
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This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: State and local NAACP respond to UNCW's elimination of DEI just weeks before school starts
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