UNC AFSA & UNC News

“The School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL). At UNC, students hear this name in one of a few ways. One is “eww, that uber-conservative program that’s a waste of money and is trying to indoctrinate everyone.” A rare few respond with, “I haven’t heard of that.” But the vast majority just say, “oh…nice,” and immediately assume you’re a complete nerd.

In all fairness, the last one might not be completely off. Yet none of these opinions completely describe the SCiLL program. SCiLL itself is intended to help students learn how to critically engage in civil discourse with people on different sides of the political aisle. This is a valuable life skill that many students come out of college lacking.”

In May 2006, when George W. Bush was president and “Bad Day” was topping the pop music charts, UNC Chapel Hill trustees kicked off plans for a “world-class research and learning campus” two miles north of campus.

The Carolina North campus will provide a place for the university to grow and develop new models for research and education,” officials said in a follow-up report. The university then had about 27,700 students, including about 17,000 undergraduates.

“The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill argues in a new court filing that a $1.2 million report on its School of Civic Life is full of material “cover to cover” that exempts it from state public-records requirements.

The university filed a motion Friday for summary judgment in a lawsuit filed by media outlets seeking the report’s release.

“The Defense Department has selected the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Virginia Tech to host a revamped fellowship program for senior military officers — the first universities approved after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth severed partnerships with top universities.

The two universities will participate in the new Senior Service College Fellowship, a 10-month professional military education program that will serve as an alternative to traditional war colleges. Additional university partners will be announced at a later date, according to the department.”

As America has just celebrated its 250th birthday, those social duties have become more fraught. An alarming percentage of young people feel distrustful and disconnected from public life, pessimistic about democracy, and reluctant to share their earnest opinions about important issues. The intensifying partisanship and social-media surveillance of the last couple decades has made it much harder for universities to meet their mission of readying students for citizenship in our constitutional democracy.

“The new budget is good news for Carolina and for higher education across our great state.”

North Carolina lawmakers released a long-overdue budget on Tuesday, over a month after Republican legislative leaders first announced a framework. The plan is a year late, and is the first comprehensive budget agreement since 2023.

The 600-plus page bill includes a number of provisions related to higher education funding and makes some statutory changes that will affect schools across the state. [Including funding SCiLL as an independent academic unit.]

Lawmakers plan to approve the budget later this week and send it to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein’s desk. Here’s what the plan includes for higher education.

See a compilation of University exhibits, retrospectives, history, and achievements.

A new North Carolina law, enshrined Wednesday, cements existing bans on diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the state's public universities and community colleges.

It also bars the promotion of "divisive concepts" at the state's public universities and community colleges. Though N.C. Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, previously vetoed the bill, Republican lawmakers overrode that effort Wednesday.

The Assembly and America’s Future hosted a Newsmakers event about the pressures facing history and civics education on the cusp of the country’s 250th anniversary.

See the collaboration between the University Library and the North Carolina Museum of History.

“ . . . nearly two years into [Chancellor Lee] Roberts’s appointment, the university serves as a case study in stalled reform as it continues to suffer from many of the maladies afflicting higher education––from questionable course requirements to senior leadership committed to the “social-justice university.”

Administrative social media runs afoul of the UNC System institutional neutrality policy.
A June 1 social media post from UNC athletics’ X account showed the state of North Carolina with a rainbow argyle pattern running through it. The caption read “The Tar Heels are for everyone” with a ram emoji.
The post has since been deleted.

UNC’s School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL) has been subjected to criticism since its inception. It is not alone. Many of SCiLL’s peer institutions at other universities have also been denounced.

Now we learn that at the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), one of the influential professional associations for professors, a center on “academic freedom” is being funded to undermine the many newly created schools of civic leadership with the goal of delegitimizing them.

Carolina’s history parallels that of the United States, and the University is a leading example of the good that public institutions can produce.

Eric Church’s UNC commencement speech was a sentimental homecoming for the North Carolina native. Church told graduates to embrace uncertainty, use failure as a teacher, and stay connected to the people and places that shaped them. He then performed “Carolina,” tweaking some of the lyrics for his Chapel Hill audience. Click here to hear his speech, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/eric-church-commencement-speech-carolina-1235562066/

UNC’s School of Civic Life and Leadership will become the university’s 15th independent academic unit this August, a major elevation for the free-inquiry and civil-discourse program launched in 2023. The move follows rapid growth with more than 20 faculty hires and nearly 1,000 student enrollments

UNC trustees have taken a major step toward developing Carolina North, a planned second campus on the former Horace Williams Airport site. The first phase will include student, multifamily, and workforce housing, plus research buildings, a hotel, and retail space. Trustees approved $8 million for design and planning, with construction expected to begin next year.

The Wall Street Journal editorial board praises UNC’s School of Civic Life and Leadership as a model for restoring civic education and open inquiry on campus. The piece argues SCiLL’s rise from a new program to UNC’s 15th independent academic unit shows real student demand for serious debate and civil discourse.

UNC officials issued a follow-up statement after backlash over April Fools’ satire, saying they are not investigating any students and partially retracting earlier language that implied possible discipline. However, critics say the university’s reversal was vague and failed to clarify what was actually withdrawn, leaving lingering questions.

A controversy at UNC erupted after an April Fools’ satire issue from the Daily Tar Heel and a student comedy skit sparked backlash, with participants reportedly receiving online death threats. Administrators initially condemned the content, prompting criticism from free speech advocates before walking back their response. The episode has fueled debate over whether UNC adequately defends student expression.

In the realm of state higher-education reform, Texas and Florida are often in the spotlight. But North Carolina’s slow, thoughtful reforms have led to important and lasting changes for Tar Heel students and citizens.

After backlash over its April Fools’ issue, The Daily Tar Heel announced it will halt satire for the rest of the semester and implement DEI training and internal reviews. The decision followed criticism from administrators over articles some students found offensive. Free speech advocates argue the response risks chilling student expression.

UNC-Chapel Hill was named to Forbes’ “New Ivies” list for the third straight year, a ranking of schools whose graduates are increasingly favored by employers over traditional Ivy League institutions. The list is based on data like admissions and employer surveys, with executives emphasizing schools that prepare students for a workforce shaped by AI and practical skills.

UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts has taken a more controlled, behind-the-scenes approach to communication, limiting public engagement and tightly managing messaging during campus controversies. While Roberts emphasizes stability, critics say the lack of transparency has fueled some distrust among faculty and students.

UNC plans to cut $89.2 million from its budget over the next three years, targeting administrative costs, financial aid, and some academic programs. The cuts come amid uncertainty around federal funding, stalled state budgets, and shifts within the UNC System. While officials say they’re prioritizing the university’s academic mission, there is some concern about transparency and the potential impact on programs.

UNC-Chapel Hill’s recent focus on free speech may be less about open inquiry and more about advancing specific ideological viewpoints, argues a column in USA Today. There are concerns that “free speech” is being used selectively, fueling tension over whether the university is expanding debate or reshaping it along political lines.

After requests for basic public records from UNC System schools, many universities said it could take many months to fulfill the petitions. North Carolina law requires records be provided “as promptly as possible,” but doesn’t set a firm deadline, allowing for long delays.

At a March meeting, UNC’s provost discussed the University’s decision to not release a report from an independent investigation. Administrators said there were internal concerns about making the findings public, which drew questions from faculty about transparency and accountability.

UNC and former provost Chris Clemens are close to settling a lawsuit over alleged violations of open meetings and public records laws. A court filing says the agreement is expected soon and would end the case. Some of Clemens’ claims had already been dismissed, but others are still pending.

A liberal professor argues that the UNC System’s policy requiring syllabi to be posted online is consistent with academic freedom because public universities are accountable to taxpayers. While critics fear the policy could invite political attacks on faculty, the author contends that greater transparency strengthens public trust in higher education.

UNC Systems leaders approved a revision to the university's academic freedom policy that more clearly defines the scope and limits of faculty protections. Supporters say the change clarifies expectations for teaching and research, while critics argue the new language could discourage open classroom discussion and expose faculty to greater scrutiny.

UNC-Chapel Hill has reversed a controversial policy that allowed administrators to record classes without a professor’s knowledge. The decision came after strong backlash from faculty who warned the rule could lead to classroom self-censorship and undermine academic freedom.

A UNC student argues that making course syllabi publicly available, as the UNC System policy does, supports transparency and accountability rather than chilling faculty speech. The author argues that public syllabi help students and the broader community understand classroom expectations and curricular content.

The National Endowment for the Humanities is awarding nearly $10 million to UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Civic Life and Leadership, as well as other conservative-aligned projects at schools across the country. The grant is intended to hire faculty and expand programs in American political thought and civic education. This is part of a broader national push toward Western civilization and civics initiatives.

Tuition across the University of North Carolina System has risen by roughly 330% since 1999, far outpacing inflation and long-term affordability trends. This overview comes amid a push for new tuition increases. Instead, the Martin Center argues to reject the increases in favor of keeping college more accessible and aligned with constitutional commitments to educational opportunities.

UNC Chapel Hill has adopted a new policy allowing administrators to record or access classroom recordings without notifying instructors in certain circumstances. Such circumstances include investigating alleged policy violations andother lawful purposes. Critics, including professors and academic freedom advocates, warn the policy could chill open discussion in class and heighten concerns about surveillance.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked UNC from enforcing campus bans against three individuals arrested during anti-Israel protests in 2024. The ruling said the indefinite nature of the bans was likely unreasonable and not viewpoint-neutral. While the judge dismissed several of the plaintiffs’ claims, the lawsuit will move forward on the remaining free speech-related allegations.

Chancellor Lee Roberts apologized to faculty members after the University’s December decision to close several area studies centers. The announcement of the closures sparked backlash from some professors and campus groups. The centers were closed due to University budget cuts. Roberts acknowledged concerns about shared governance and said the administration should have consulted faculty more before making the changes.

Classrooms across the UNC System are now majority female, with women making up more than 60 percent of students at most campuses. This is attributed to many factors, including boys’ weak academic performance and cultural messaging encouraging higher education for women. This gender imbalance is impacting campus social dynamics and the classroom experience, causing long-term effects after graduation.

Religious speakers at UNC are engaging in constitutionally protected speech on campus. While such speech may be controversial or uncomfortable for some students, the First Amendment requires UNC to remain viewpoint-neutral and allow this form of expression and religious freedom. Such speech sparks debate among the student body regarding religion and grants students exposure to a diverse array of religious beliefs.

UNC’s AFSA chapter continues to strengthen alumni engagement on campus by hosting discussions and advocating policy that champions free speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity. The group connects alumni with students and faculty to encourage open dialogue and contributes to a broader national trend of alumni involvement in higher education.

An anonymous Daily Tar Heel survey of UNC faculty found many instructors worry about expressing their personal views. The survey also found that self-censorship was common and dissatisfaction was high, despite a low turnover rate. The data highlights broader concerns about academic freedom and free expression across higher education.

Recent changes in UNC System policy have muddled the balance of authority over high-level campus hires. Traditionally, Boards of Trustees approved senior academic and administrative appointments, but revisions now let the chancellor seek approval directly from the system president, bypassing oversight. This shift of governance weakens accountability across North Carolina’s public universities.

The UNC System’s new policy requiring syllabi to be public records is soon to take effect. The documents will be available to the general public beginning January 15th. Supporters of the move argue it will increase transparency in higher education. Detractors cite potential risks to academic freedom. Several public records requests have already been lodged.

In a community-wide communication, UNC reiterates that as a public university, it fully embraces the First Amendment and state free speech laws. This means that the University cannot bar speakers simply because their views are unpopular or offensive. The update underscores that protecting free speech is central to UNC’s mission and gives students resources to uphold their rights.

UNC is set to close all six of its area research study centers in 2026. These include the Center for European Studies, African Studies Center, Carolina Asia Center, Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies, Institute for the Study of the Americas, and the Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies. This is part of broader cuts amid a decrease in state and federal funding. The move has drawn concern from some faculty surrounding a loss of research opportunities.

The UNC System is moving to require all syllabi to be treated as public records, beginning in the upcoming fall semester. Proponents of the idea assert the decision increases transparency throughout the UNC System and allows students to review course syllabuses before registration. Opponents, including some faculty, have criticized the potential policy as an attack on intellectual property.

Martin Center President Jenna Robinson commends UNC System President Peter Hans’ decision to require universities to publish academic calendars, grading policies, and course syllabi. Robsinson argues the move will enhance the public’s trust in North Carolina public universities and grant students clearer academic expectations.

A North Carolina Superior Court judge dismissed two claims in former UNC Provost Chris Clemens’ lawsuit against the university over alleged open meetings and public records violations. The dismissed claims involved alleged destruction of public records and conducting an unlawful electronic meeting without notice. Other portions of Clemens’ lawsuit, however, will continue to be litigated. The suit centers on transparency issues regarding University officials.