The UNC-system Board of Governors has released a report outlining an investigation into Aug. 20, 2018, the night the Silent Sam monument was toppled by a group of demonstrators, according to a report obtained by The Daily Tar Heel.
The investigation found "serious deficiencies" in the way the incident was handled, but there was no evidence of conspiracy between UNC and any of the demonstrators involved in the monument's removal, the report states.
While the University's administration and police force take campus safety seriously, the report says, Aug. 20 shows that the way UNC handles protests, including those led by "highly organized, non-student groups," must change.
“We appreciate the findings and recommendations brought forward by the After-Action Assessment Report," said Robert Blouin, executive vice chancellor and provost in a statement. "We believe the learnings from this report will benefit not just Carolina, but other system institutions as well.”
The Board asked a team of lawyers from Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP to conduct an After Action Assessment of the night, and to draft a report outlining the details of the incident, according to the report.
The report includes a detailed summary of the events of Aug. 20, and outlines the steps taken for conducting the assessment including the review of related documents and interviews of officials such as then-Chancellor Carol Folt; Jeff McCracken, UNC Police chief; Winston Crisp, former Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and some others.
