DEI Initiatives
Current Initiatives
The Chancellor’s Science Scholars Program offers merit-based scholarships, opportunities to participate in cutting-edge research, professional development, leadership training, mentorship, and other programming designed to pave the way for academic success and future achievement. Along the way, students join a community of scholars committed not only to individual excellence, but also to challenging preconceptions of the scientist archetype and creating a more inclusive culture within the STEM academy.
American Indian and Indigenous Studies Cluster Hire
The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is pleased to undertake a cluster hire in American Indian and Indigenous Studies. This initiative is part of the College’s commitment to advancing an innovative curriculum and expanding its outstanding and diverse faculty.
Health and Wellness in Communities of Color Cluster Hire
in FY 20, the College allocated six tenure-track/tenured faculty lines for a cluster hire in the search authorization process and which we predict will attract new faculty of color. The focus is on topics of health, wellness and communities through the lens of racial equity and social justice. These hires focus on the following areas and/or the intersection of such: Black families and communities and health, wellness and health equity of Black, indigenous and other communities of color.
The dean also authorized the departments of history and African, African-American and diaspora studies to hire two new faculty in the area of U.S. slavery.
College Conversations to Uphold Equity Series (CUES)
College Conversations to Uphold Equity series (CUES) is a facilitated discussion series initiated in 2021 to forward the College of Arts and Sciences’ mission for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. These conversations will bring together faculty and staff in the College as well as other university community members to discuss an array of topics concerning equity, belonging, and well-being. We believe that by forging informative dialogues, we contribute to providing a safe and rich intellectual space for faculty, staff, and members of the community to engage one another about equity in the community. Thus, we support the larger mission of the College and university to foster a vibrantly inclusive and equitable community.
Critical Ethnic Studies Collective
The Critical Ethnic Studies Collective convenes faculty engaged in research that focuses on intersectional thought and social justice in diverse communities. This research has been transformative for both institutions and individuals in the global community. At Carolina, we hope we can bring this perspective to the work of the South by providing our own infrastructure. We envision a different kind of “south,” where students and faculty can engage issues of reparation and sovereignty, (im)migration and labor, gender difference and inclusion as categories with overlapping strands, rather than competing ideologies
DEI Grants for Unit Enhancement
The Dean’s Office is pleased to announce its 2023 DEI Project Grants for Units. The goal of this funding initiative is to support and enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion within units. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 1. Awards will be for up to $7,000 per unit.
The Dean’s Office is pleased to announce its 2023 DEI Education Grants. The goal of this funding initiative is to support educational and training activities on diversity, equity and inclusion for units. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 1. Awards will be for up to $6,000 per unit.
The Dean’s Office is pleased to announce its 2023 DEI Research Grants. The goal of this funding initiative is to support research that expands and strengthens an understanding of dimensions of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 1. Awards will be for up to $7,000 per unit.
Office of Instructional Innovation
Our Office of Instructional Innovation has resources on inclusive teaching techniques to assist faculty in designing courses that are more equitable for all.
Effective September 2021, the College of Arts and Sciences began a process to create a Strategic Plan for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Our expectation is to launch the plan in the fall 2022. Details and updates about the plan are below.
Recent Past Initiatives
The UNC-Chapel Hill community, like others across the United States, has experienced painful incidents of racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia, leading to increased feelings of fear and vulnerability on campus. In addition, less visible forms of racism permeate our everyday lives and inform the structures within which we live and work. In response, the College of Arts & Sciences launched the Countering Hate initiative in fall 2019.