The UNC System informed chancellors across the state on Wednesday that any mandated course credits related to diversity, equity or inclusion are suspended effective immediately due to President Donald Trump’s Jan. 21 executive order, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.”
“Accordingly, effective immediately, all general education requirements and major-specific requirements mandating completion of course credits related to diversity, equity and inclusion, or any other topic identified in Section VII of the Equality Policy are suspended,” the memo states. “Inclusion of these and other synonymous general education requirements may contradict the Jan. 21 EO directive to “[e]xcise references to DEI and DEIA principles, under whatever name they may appear.” (Jan. 21 EO, Sec. 3)(emphasis added). DEI requirements of the same substance, but identified by a different name, could further jeopardize federal funding.”
University spokesperson Mick Kulikowski said the University has received the memo and is reviewing it.
NC State currently requires all students who enrolled after the fall of 2023 to take a “U.S. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” general education course. Students who enrolled prior to the fall of 2023 must take a “U.S. Diversity” general education course.
“This does not affect any course content; it suspends any requirements for DEI-focused courses as a condition of graduation,” the UNC System said in a statement to The Assembly.
The memo states a chancellor may approve a waiver for individual major-specific requirements but cannot issue a waiver for general education requirements. For UNC System students currently enrolled in a course that fulfills a now-suspended requirement, the credit “shall be deemed converted immediately into a general elective requirement.” If students want to withdraw from a course intended to fulfill a now-suspended requirement, the memo states they may elect to do so without penalty.
“In all events, no student’s graduation shall be delayed or deferred for failure to satisfy a suspended curricular or program requirement described in this memorandum; provided, however, the student must still satisfy the minimum credit hour requirements established by Section 400.1.5[R],” the memo states. “All University enrollment processes going forward — whether for a summer, fall, spring or any other academic semester — shall comply with this memorandum.”
The Asheville Watchdog was the first to report this story.
3:53 p.m., Feb. 10 update:
Provost Warwick Arden updated the NC State community on the U.S. DEI GEP requirement. In the email, he said the requirement is suspended and detailed the immediate actions for those currently taking or scheduled to take a class intended to fulfill the requirement.
“Students currently enrolled in spring 2025 courses to fulfill the U.S. DEI GEP category requirements will be contacted and given the choice of completing the course and receiving appropriate GEP credit or dropping the course without academic penalty,” Arden wrote. “Students registered for summer 2025 courses to fulfill the U.S. DEI GEP category requirements may choose to drop them or wait until updated GEP requirements are available in March.”
Arden wrote that classes formerly offered as a fulfillment of the requirement will still be available to students as an elective or a recommended major course.
