UNC Charlotte, UNCW cut diversity from mission statements. Is it tied to DEI repeal?
Two universities in the UNC System received approval last week to change their mission statements to remove references to diversity.
The move comes after the system Board of Governors in May repealed the public university system’s diversity, equity and inclusion mandates and replaced them with a new policy that requires campuses to maintain “institutional neutrality,” meaning they cannot take stances on political or social issues.
But only one of the universities is tying the change in its mission statement to the DEI repeal.
The Board of Governors approved the new mission statements for UNC Charlotte and UNC Wilmington at a meeting Thursday, doing so without discussion. A committee had previously approved the changes in a virtual Nov. 7 meeting.
At UNC Charlotte, the university’s mission statement will no longer state that the university “is a diverse and inclusive institution.”
At UNC Wilmington, that school’s mission statement will no longer include a line that said the university’s “culture” reflected key values that included “diversity.”
The change to UNCW’s statement had been in the works for over a year, with the university’s Board of Trustees approving it in July 2023. UNCW spokesperson Sydney Bouchelle told The News & Observer in an email that university leaders began considering a change to the mission statement as far back as the fall of 2021, and that the statement “was reviewed as part of the university’s strategic planning process.”
“Students, faculty and staff were engaged in developing the plan, which reflects both institutional and UNC System priorities for UNCW,” Bouchelle said. “The mission statement and strategic plan underscore UNCW’s commitment to offer all of our students higher education experiences rooted in the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service.”
Asked if the university’s removal of the word “diversity” from the mission statement was related to the UNC System’s DEI repeal, Bouchelle replied: “No.”
But that’s not the case at UNC Charlotte, where a spokesperson said the change was directly related to the repeal and the university’s larger efforts to comply with the new policy.
Changes at UNC Charlotte
In a statement to The N&O, Christy Jackson, UNC Charlotte’s deputy chief communications officer, said the university is in the process of updating its strategic plan to align with the new UNC System policy.
“In anticipation of those necessary changes, we updated our mission statement accordingly,” Jackson said.
The university’s current strategic plan began in 2021 and is scheduled to last through 2031, according to a university website.
Official guidance on the new policy, which is commonly referred to as the “equality policy,” issued by UNC System legal staff this summer did not explicitly ban DEI efforts at the universities. But the practical applications of the policy resulted in DEI offices being closed across the system and dozens of DEI-related jobs being eliminated or significantly altered, among other changes.
The equality policy, as described to reporters after a committee first approved it in April, was not expected to impact campus mission statements. Neither the legal guidance, nor the policy itself, mention mission statements or say that references to DEI within the statements would need to be removed in order for universities to comply with the policy.
UNC Charlotte appears to be the only university in the 17-campus system to change its mission statement as a result of the DEI repeal, though some universities did not mention diversity or related terms in their missions prior to the policy change. The variation represents one of several discrepancies in the effects and impacts of the equality policy that have surfaced since universities reported their efforts to comply with the DEI repeal in September.
While UNC Charlotte leaders cited the equality policy as the impetus for changing its mission statement, though, they also used broader reasoning for doing so.
“We made changes to our mission statement to comply with UNC System policy, but we also took this opportunity to ensure our mission statement more accurately conveys what the University does, who we serve and how we accomplish our goals,” Jackson said.
Jackson did not provide a direct response to a question from The N&O about who was involved in drafting the change to the mission statement.
Asked by The N&O after Thursday’s Board of Governors meeting for his thoughts on the mission statement changes and their relation to the equality policy, UNC System President Peter Hans largely deferred to the individual campuses.
“The campuses initiate those changes that happen on a regular basis as they undergo strategic planning,” Hans said. “They bring it before the board for approval, per our process, but they were generated on campus.”
Other universities’ mission statements
UNCW and UNC Charlotte won’t be alone in omitting references to diversity from their mission statements. Other universities in the system, including Appalachian State University and East Carolina University, do not appear to include such references in their mission statements.
But several other universities do reference diversity or inclusion, either in their mission statements, visions or values for their campuses.
UNC-Chapel Hill, for instance, states that part of its mission is to “serve as a center for research, scholarship, and creativity and to teach a diverse community of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students to become the next generation of leaders.”
North Carolina A&T State University states, in part, that it will provide a “preeminent and diverse educational experience through teaching, research, and scholarly application of knowledge.” UNC Pembroke states that its “diversity and our commitment to personalized teaching uniquely prepare our students for rewarding careers, postgraduate education, leadership roles, and fulfilling lives.”
Other universities include such references in their vision statements or their key values, but do not explicitly mention the terms in their mission statements.
That includes NC State University, which says its vision, in part, is to “be known as a diverse, equitable and inclusive community that has a transformative impact on society and advances the greater good.” NC Central University says its vision is to “be recognized as one of the region’s leading public universities, known for academic excellence in a diverse cultural and educational environment.” And Western Carolina University includes “diversity and inclusive excellence” as one of its “core values.”
System leaders, including Hans, have repeatedly said that the equality policy does not prohibit universities from welcoming diverse students, faculty or staff to their campuses. Jackson, the UNC Charlotte spokesperson, offered a similar message from that university, despite its mission statement no longer referring to the campus as “diverse and inclusive.”
“UNC Charlotte remains dedicated to welcoming and serving students of all backgrounds and fostering an environment where all members of our community feel welcomed and respected,” Jackson said.
In other efforts to comply with the policy, UNC Charlotte leaders closed the university’s three DEI-related offices and eliminated or reassigned 18 employment positions, according to figures it reported to the UNC System office. UNCW also eliminated its Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, eliminated three positions and reassigned 13 employees.
New and old mission statements
The full text of UNC Charlotte and UNC Wilmington’s former and new mission statements are printed below:
UNC Charlotte
▪ Former statement: “As North Carolina’s urban research university, UNC Charlotte is a diverse and inclusive institution with local-to-global impact that transforms lives, communities, and industries through access and affordability, exemplary bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional programs, scholarship, creative work, innovation, and service.”
▪ New statement: “UNC Charlotte is a leading urban research university with a significant local-to-global impact. We transform lives, communities, and industries through accessible and affordable education, offering exemplary bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional programs. Our commitment to scholarship, innovation, and service drives our contributions to the ever-evolving needs of society. Through strategic partnerships and a focus on real-world applications, we prepare our graduates to excel in their careers and lead with purpose and integrity in a rapidly changing world.”
UNC Wilmington
▪ Former statement: “The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching and mentoring with research and service. Our commitment to student engagement, creative inquiry, critical thinking, thoughtful expression, and responsible citizenship is expressed in our baccalaureate and masters’ programs, as well as doctoral programs in areas of expertise that serve state needs. Our culture reflects our values of diversity and globalization, ethics and integrity, and excellence and innovation.”
▪ New statement: “The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, integrates teaching and mentoring with research and service. UNCW’s commitment to student engagement, creative inquiry, critical thinking, thoughtful expression, and civic responsibility defines the student experience. UNCW offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs in areas of expertise that serve the needs of the state, as well as our local and global communities.”
This story was originally published November 20, 2024 at 12:02 PM.
