UNC-Chapel Hill faculty worries about cuts to research funding amid Trump's DEI crackdown
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- Universities and colleges nationwide are scrambling to figure out how to comply with the Trump administration's crackdown on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
Under the new Executive Order issued on Jan. 20, federal agencies were instructed to eliminate DEI consideration from their processes. Agencies must comply to continue to receive federal funding.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill held an emergency meeting Monday to address two specific issues. The first is how to ensure UNC's curriculum related to DEI doesn't conflict with President Trump's Executive Order.
The university is already mostly compliant and has to only make a small change to waive the DEI requirement for a program called Making Connections.
The other topic discussed was the concern about funding being cut for research. This is a major part of UNC's identity and reputation across the country and internationally.
State Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined 21 other states to sue over what they call an unlawful funding cut involving the National Institutes of Health.
Research institutions including the Triangle's two largest universities -- Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill -- could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding under a cap, limiting how much the government pays toward "indirect" medical research expenses.
UNC faculty talked Monday night about how this funding is what makes American research "the envy of the world." It supports innovation across many industries.
"It's also helped us to come up with strategies and discoveries that protect our national security and enhance our global competitiveness," Penny Gordon-Larson, the vice president for research at UNC, said. "So, our work has led to life-saving technologies, products, cures, all kinds of impacts, and that research not just leads to those impacts, but it's really important for economic growth and job creation in the state."
During the meeting, it was also mentioned this funding helps support 14,000 employees conducting research in NC, as well as 310 state businesses.
The university is right now working to fully understand the impacts of these cuts and communicate them to the community as well.
DEI repealed at UNC system schools
Well before Trump took office and issued his DEI targeted executive order, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors (UNC BOG) voted to repeal its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs at all of its schools in May 2024.
In September, the UNC BOG announced that changes at all 17 schools saved around $17 million.
NC State led position reassignments - moving 29 people to new positions and departments. UNC-Chapel Hill realigned 27 positions.
According to a report from the BOG, almost 200 diversity, equity and inclusion staff positions were either cut or reassigned across North Carolina's public university system to comply with a systemwide policy that required institutions to reassess their diversity efforts. UNC System leaders said the changes allowed schools to redirect more than $16 million to success initiatives, such as recruitment efforts and scholarships.
ABC11's Sydnee Scofield contributed to this report.
