Categories: College University AthleticsCollege/University News

WCU Director Terminated Over DEI Remarks

Students discussing diversity and inclusion on a university campus

News Summary

Karen Price, former director of institutional assessment at Western Carolina University, was terminated after secretly recorded comments about DEI policies surfaced. The leak has sparked significant discourse around diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in higher education. This incident follows broader trends within the UNC system, where DEI programs have faced scrutiny and restructuring, reflecting the ongoing debates regarding these initiatives amidst conservative pushback. Price’s termination is part of a worrying trend affecting various university officials connected to controversial remarks about DEI.

Cullowhee, North Carolina – Karen Price, the former director of institutional assessment at Western Carolina University (WCU), has been terminated from her position following the release of a secretly recorded video that captured her discussing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. This decision was made official in mid-April, and the video became public on June 10, 2024, where Price can be heard making remarks regarding the university’s DEI efforts.

The video was filmed by an undercover investigator affiliated with Accuracy in Media, a conservative nonprofit organization focused on issues of media integrity and accountability. The footage, which has been made available to the public on Accuracy in Media’s YouTube channel, features Price discussing the university’s aim to integrate DEI principles comprehensively across all operations and activities within the institution. Her statements suggest that DEI functions should not be relegated to a single office, but rather, should permeate the entire university structure.

Following the release of the video, inquiries directed to other WCU officials regarding the circumstances surrounding Price’s comments received no response. The fallout from the video has had significant implications not only for Price but also reflects ongoing debates about DEI initiatives within higher education, particularly in light of recent policy changes made by the University of North Carolina (UNC) system.

In May 2024, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors made a historic decision, voting 22-2 to dissolve its DEI programs across all 16 campuses, which were subsequently replaced by a new policy termed “Equality Within the University of North Carolina.” As a result, all offices dedicated to DEI, as well as associated staff positions, were either eliminated or restructured by September 2024, indicating a broader shift in policy regarding DEI efforts within the state university system.

As of now, Karen Price’s profile has been removed from the WCU website, which displays an error page when searched for her name. This marks a trend observed in other institutions as well; similar incidents have prompted other university administrators to lose their positions after being recorded discussing DEI programs in ways that sparked controversy. For instance, Megan Pugh, the former Dean of Students at UNC Asheville, was let go following a comparable recording in early June. Additionally, Janique Sanders, previously an Assistant Director at UNC Charlotte, faced similar fallout after she was recorded suggesting that DEI initiatives were still operational on campus in late May.

The developments at WCU and other UNC institutions highlight an increasingly contentious climate surrounding DEI policies in academia, amid pushback from conservative groups and movements advocating for the reevaluation or elimination of such initiatives in educational institutions nationwide. As the discourse continues, the implications for institutions and their governance reflect a critical examination of how diverse and inclusive practices are perceived and implemented.