A subcommittee of the App State board of trustees met Thursday to discuss campus operations related to the UNC System’s equality policy, which was adopted May 23, 2024.
The meeting was held in response to a memo issued by the UNC System on June 17. The memo directed university board chairs to establish a subcommittee to assess and verify that their university’s “realignments” of offices and personnel comply with the new equality policy.
The subcommittee consists of Board Chair Mark Ricks, Vice Chair Thomas Sofield, Secretary James Harris, Anita Greene and Steven Wyatt.
The meeting began with a briefing from Chancellor Heather Norris. She highlighted the new equality policy, which replaced the UNC System’s former policy on the regulation of diversity and inclusion adopted in 2019.
“It’s important to note the commitment to equality of all persons and the emphasis on the success of all of our students,” Norris said.
Norris then went through a timeline of relevant UNC System policies and North Carolina law.
The timeline started with legislation passed by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2017 to protect free speech on university campuses. In 2019, the board of governors adopted their diversity and inclusion policy. The board also adopted an amendment to Political Activities of Employees in 2023 to prohibit compelled speech.
Also in 2023, Norris said, the App State board of trustees adopted a resolution affirming freedom of speech. On Feb. 5 of this year, the UNC System issued a memo suspending requirements of diversity, equity and inclusion curriculum.
“July 29th of this year, we received guidance for recipients of federal funding regarding unlawful discrimination,” Norris said.
On Aug. 30, 2024, Norris, who was then serving as interim chancellor, certified, along with then Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs JJ Brown, App State was in compliance with the new equality policy.
Norris said the UNC System has a commitment to equality of all persons, including equal opportunities for all students and employees. The UNC System also encourages universities to ensure students of all backgrounds are welcomed, included and supported.
The well-being of university employees remains a priority, Norris said, as well as the implementation of programming and services that will have a positive effect on performance for all students and are in compliance with institutional neutrality.
Norris ended her briefing with a quote she first shared in April 2025.
“I can assure you our university’s commitment to supporting all students is unwavering, and we remain dedicated to providing a compassionate, high-quality college experience that is focused on student success,” Norris said.
The subcommittee then went into a closed session, meaning the public is excluded from attending. Closed sessions are permitted under North Carolina law for many reasons, most of them related to privacy.
According to the meeting’s agenda, the session was closed in order to “consider the qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of appointment, or conditions of initial employment of an individual public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee in accordance with N.C.G.S § 143-318.11(a)(6).”
