TransparUNCy holds first meeting of 2024-25 academic year

On Aug. 26, student group TransparUNCy hosted its first teach-in of the fall 2024 semester.

The event addressed recent changes implemented by University administration, including Lee Roberts becoming permanent chancellor, the removal of DEI policies, the establishment of the School of Civic Life and Leadership and changes to the Conduct Board System, previously known as the Honor System. These topics were explored in relation to their direct impact on the campus community.

TransparUNCy organizers Julian Taylor and Samuel Scarborough began by summarizing key issues from their previous spring semester teach-in, highlighting the history and debate surrounding higher education in North Carolina, the influence of conservative donor Art Pope on Lee Roberts, as well as UNC's involvement in these broader discussions. 

Additionally, they presented a detailed timeline of conflicts between University administration and the campus community, including events such as the Triangle Gaza Solidarity Encampment in April, the UNC system's vote to repeal DEI policies in May, the firing of UNC Professor Larry Chavis and the recent overhaul of the Honor Court system.

When addressing the role that students have in combating these changes, Scarborough said that there is a rise of student consciousness present at UNC and other universities, and that this rallying has the potential for progressive change. 

“When we look at things like the upcoming election, it’s incumbent upon students to be active in deciding their future from an electoral sense,” he said. “I think it’s important to do things like teach-ins so we can politically educate ourselves and understand that the institution that we go to, that we pay tax dollars and tuition to, isn’t neutral in any type of progress we get here. We have to fight for it.” 

The presentation also included screenshots from a Board of Trustees members group chat featuring messages from the spring pro-Palestine protests. Taylor said that one message showed a BOT member requesting for the chancellor to “bypass the Honor Court in terms of suspending students” and to handle student suspensions himself.

UNC Media Relations has no additional comments at the time of publication.

The teach-in ended with a discussion of ideas and further questions on how students can take action against University administration. 

Julia Powers, a UNC senior who attended the event, said that while she was already familiar with the information from previous teach-ins, she still felt scared by the details shared, but that students still have a voice to speak out against University administration. 

Powers said that "regardless of how powerless [students] inherently are against people like Lee Roberts and Art Pope because we lack the resources and financial funding," they can speak out. Powers also said that students should attend events like TransparUNCy teach-ins and educate themselves.

The information shared at the teach-in reflected the broader concern of institutional memory and that because students are only here for four years, the University is in a better position to target policies and make changes incrementally. 

Alexander Denza, a senior and TransparUNCy organizer, said there has been a "fully promoted and strategically varied takeover" of the University system that has resulted in the stripping of academic freedoms and diversity at UNC.

He said the organization’s goal is to create a unified resistance that outlives UNC’s current students which starts with educating first-years and providing the context that came before their arrival on campus. 

Denza also said that new initiatives such as the School of Civic Life and Leadership specifically target first-years with "a veil of neutral discourse," all while promoting certain ideological elements underneath it. 

“The more nefarious elements are hidden underneath this neutral language, and freshmen aren’t going to know that context,” he said. “So it’s incredibly important for freshmen to get involved with this and specifically understand that their education is not neutral and they have to fight to keep it.”

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