The UNC Charlotte chapter of the American Association of University Professors is condemning the university for its response to a viral video of an employee implying diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are still happening on campus.
Context: Last year, UNC Charlotte was among several North Carolina universities to eliminate its DEI office.
In the recording posted on X, ex-employee Janique Sanders is asked if "equity work" is still taking place on campus. She responds, "I can't say that, but we've reamed, we've reorganized, we've recalibrated so to speak."
Sanders previously served as the assistant director of Leadership & Community Engagement.
The video was posted by the group Accuracy in Media, which describes itself as undercover journalism.
UNC Charlotte wrote in a statement Thursday that Sanders "was not authorized to speak on these issues" and, following an internal review, was no longer employed by the university.
What they're saying: "The university should stand firmly against bullying tactics used to advance a political agenda that misconstrues what DEI is and means," AAUP wrote in a statement over the weekend.
