Several UNC Chapel Hill's Project Uplift counselors resign after diversity policy repeal

Counselors at UNC Chapel Hill's long-running Project Uplift program have been resigning in large numbers in the last 24 hours after the university Board of Governors' decision to repeal the university system's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policy Thursday with little discussion.

Project Uplift, a program with over 50 years of history, brings around 1,000 rising high school seniors from underrepresented backgrounds to campus each summer.

The program aims to expose them to college life and encourage them to pursue higher education.

Dr. Leah Cox, UNC-CH vice provost of equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer wrote to the counselors:

"I do understand that this morning’s decision by the NC Board of Governors was hurtful and painful. It does not align with the Carolina that you have come to know."

Project Uplift is one that UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts recently described as exceptional and quote "needs to be supported."

"So Project Uplift, in particular, is a long-standing program. I think it's 50-plus years old. It's an exceptional program, it performs an an important role," Roberts said. "I haven't heard anyone say the final policy would require us to do anything about Project Uplift. I think it's a terrific program that needs to be supported."

WRAL News is working to learn if the first session of Project Uplift, scheduled to start next week, will still take place.

WRAL has also reached out to UNC about this but hasn't yet heard back.