UNC introduces school to foster a culture of free speech on campus, faces backlash

The School of Civic Life and Leadership at the University of North Carolina aims to promote uninhibited free speech and civil discourse on campus, in response to the growing politically polarized academic environment.

The School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL) at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, established to encourage free speech on campus, has faced criticism from students and professors. However, John P. Preyer, chair of UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that the aim of the new school is to foster public discourse, civic life, and leadership, irrespective of politics.

SCiLL is launching its first round of classes this fall, focusing on equipping students with the skills and techniques required for civic engagement and constructive debate, including oral presentations, conflict resolution, and navigating difficult conversations, as per the school's website. Additionally, the school will host a "high-profile fellows program" for semester-long discussions on complex topics with diverse, sometimes opposing viewpoints.

"As our society becomes increasingly polarized, it is crucial now more than ever to teach our students how to think critically and argue their points constructively with their peers. Unfortunately, this is not happening on college campuses. The University of North Carolina has an opportunity to lead the way nationally and help restore civil debate, which is essential not only on campus but in our country as a whole."

The decision by the country's oldest public university comes after a series of campus controversies that garnered national attention. This year, a group of UNC fraternity members gained notoriety for their patriotism, amid ongoing protests on campuses nationwide over the Israel-Hamas War. While anti-Israel protesters tried to replace the American flag with a Palestinian flag, the fraternity members held up the Stars and Stripes.

In June 2023, the school's medical school disbanded its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) task force without implementing its recommendations, just months after it banned DEI statements from admission, hiring, promotion, and tenure campus-wide. In August, following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn affirmative action in college admissions, UNC announced it would no longer use race as a factor in its admissions and hiring decisions, including in the application essays.

American higher education has seen no more ambitious plan than SCiLL, which aims to prepare students for debating different viewpoints.

"Davidsonians for Freedom of Thought and Discourse's Executive Director, Xu, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that UNC is a hub of newsworthiness, with students and faculty recognizing the need to build a school that can handle the discourse. According to Xu, the only way to navigate this discourse effectively is through a lens that considers both sides."

"The school aims to attract diverse perspectives, including those not commonly heard on college campuses, as all professors are highly accomplished and have advanced degrees from top universities. This may attract students from across the country, as they are aware that many schools teach a biased worldview."

According to an op-ed written by UNC history professor Jay Smith for the Daily Tar Heel, some claim that the school is essentially "affirmative action" for conservatives.

"The faculty of SCiLL benefited from affirmative action, but of the unjustifiable kind that works in reverse, according to him. Their candidacies for positions at UNC were made possible not by pure merit, which they may or may not possess, but by their membership in or adjacency to a well-funded conservative ecosystem saturated by euphemisms like ‘viewpoint diversity,’ ‘civility’ and ‘balance.’ That ecosystem thrives on other built-in advantages."

"SCiLL's mission is supported by wealthy donors who aim to defend and conceal capitalism's worst practices, a Republican supermajority in our state, and a university administration that prioritizes the political goals of legislators and their appointees on governing boards. As a result, SCiLL professors may be among the most protected individuals on our campus."

Smith stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that those who value process and understand the significance of separation of powers in effective university governance will never consider the SCiLL as a legitimate institution. A university is not a Frankenstein monster that can have limbs attached haphazardly. The limbs must develop organically, reflecting the disciplinary priorities identified by faculty and the evolving intellectual horizons of new generations of students.

Xu stated that it is "almost certain" that some UNC faculty will oppose a significant portion of the messaging from SCiLL, but commended the Board of Trustees for their "bravery" in introducing the idea and for standing firm in defending it against the "severe criticism" it has faced in recent years.

"Xu stated that the trustees' hope is that UNC becomes a model, and many university presidents are closely monitoring its progress. If UNC succeeds in attracting student demand, recruiting high-quality professors, and fostering debate, other universities may follow suit."

Xu contended that not everyone supports a school promoting intellectual diversity.

In April 2023, nearly 700 faculty members signed a petition alleging that the actions of the North Carolina legislature, UNC System Board of Governors, and UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees infringe upon the principles of academic freedom and shared governance that form the foundation of higher education in North Carolina and the United States.

The student newspaper's editorial board asserted on Sept. 15 that SCiLL's true objectives are to regulate and influence public discussions on campus.

The problem on UNC's campus is not a lack of civic discourse or engagement, but rather the fact that the civic discourse tends to conflict with the political ideologies of the Board of Trustees.

Preyer dismissed the notion as "absurd" because the SCiLL aims to "encourage students to reason and participate in civil discourse in a manner that has been lacking."

"The goal of this is to prevent it from being politicized and for any professor to criticize it with that concern, I believe they are betraying their own bias and prejudice about the type of views they want represented. At UNC, we have over 4,000 faculty members, and we're discussing a small group of critics whose spirit of tolerance and diversity is ironically not what they would like to think it is when it comes to the establishment of a new program or school that they immediately criticize before it has even come to fruition."

According to FIRE's data, only 10% of UNC Chapel Hill students believe that the administration protects free speech on campus and only 10% of students would feel comfortable publicly disagreeing with a professor about a controversial political topic.

"Xu stated that the Foundation for Individual Rights' surveys on top schools consistently reveal high levels of self-censorship and certain perspectives being accepted or rejected. "Growing up in the era of the Internet and social media, we have become accustomed to instant information and communication. As a result, the demand for a college that caters to these needs has become increasingly important, and it is difficult to ignore this trend," Xu added."

Although UNC already had the Program for Public Discourse, Preyer stated that it did not achieve its intended success, but it served as a foundation for the development of SCiLL.

"The creation of a new school with a specific curriculum aimed at fostering civil debate and reasoning was deemed necessary by the Board of Trustees to avoid the cancellation of opposing views."

"Students are often quick to curtail dialogue and debate, which is a problem that exists on all campuses across the country. To address this issue, we plan to establish a school that focuses on teaching the principles of free speech and reasoned debate, with the goal of equipping young people with the skills they need to become better citizens."