Fourteen centers and institutes are ultimately set to be decommissioned. It's part of a plan to reduce spending by $7 million during several years.
Of that group, six have been reportedly informed that they will be affected, including the Center for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies.
Its director, Graeme Robertson, said leaders of those centers have requested a meeting with the chancellor and provost but have not yet heard back.
He said the center's work has far-reaching influence.
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"We bring the world to Carolina. We bring an extraordinary array of figures from culture, from politics, from the arts, from industry to Carolina to speak and to interact with our students," Robertson said. "We also make it possible for students to go abroad. We provide the contacts that will allow them to really make the best use of their time there."
The potential effect on staffing is not yet clear.
In a statement, a university spokesperson wrote in part:
"A number of factors were taken into consideration while evaluating centers and institutes, and some programs have been identified to be sunset in 2026. The list is not finalized at this time.
"Recognizing the scale of these changes, leadership is prioritizing thoughtful, transparent communication with further updates planned for January as we present the plan to the Board of Trustees."