WCU Administrator Caught On Video Undermining DEI Ban
Yesterday, Accuracy in Media released an undercover video, this time from Western Carolina University, detailing how the University is avoiding the UNC System ban on DEI policies. Karen Price, Director of Institutional Assessment, revealed on undercover video how the school worked to continue DEI policies.
Here are some key quotes from the video:
Price said, “We are trying to embed that kind of Diversity, Equity, Inclusiveness, Excellence across every area should have responsibility for that. Like it shouldn’t just be an office or a figurehead.”
“But definitely Intercultural Affairs supports the broader programing,” said Price. The under-cover journalist said, “If you embed it you can’t legislate it out.” Price responded, “There you go. Now you are understanding the strategy behind what it is.”
Price said, “So the work is still occurring very much here at Western. You might just see it called different things.”
“A position of neutrality where a lot of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion positions had to be thought of differently. We are still absolutely doing all of that work,” said Price.
“But one of the functions of how we do that in the spirit of the legislation in the current political climate, is to not have one person as a Chief Diversity Officer, but to have those initiatives spread more, at the level of action, right at the level at those office. So, that position really ends up being repurposed through other position to carry on the work but stay within the context of requirements politically, do not create issues,” said Price.
Price said, “Its easier for them to say, you need to get rid of that position because it has that niche title. Well, if we don’t create titles, and it’s more just the work you do, and it’s part of everything that should be centered on living your mission. That your right you can’t legislate it away.”
· “If you saw the news, there are some places that did lose a lot of positions because they were less strategic, I guess, about the approach. We lost one position anyway that was already in transition. No one lost their job, no one lost in the end. In fact, we were able to take the monies and disburse them down to the action level,” said Price.
Accuracy in Media confronted several members of Western Carolina University’s leadership about the violations of policy, and they declined to engage publicly. However, the University acted in mid-April to terminate its relationship with Dr. Price, presumably because of the undercover videos.
This is the third undercover video from a UNC System school showing how administrators worked around the Board of Governors policy to ban DEI throughout the System. In my interview with AIM President Adam Guillette, he indicated that his organization may have additional investigations of UNC System schools to disclose.
Given the detailed examples of how these administrators have undermined current policies, there is a chance that the UNC Board of Governors and the North Carolina General Assembly will take action to strengthen the enforcement mechanism, ensuring that DEI policies are no longer in effect on UNC campuses.
