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From Staff Reports
CULLOWHEE — A Western Carolina University administrator “is no longer employed at the school as of mid-April,” Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on June 10.
“A secretly recorded video released on June 10 shows WCU’s former director of institutional assessment, Karen Price making comments about diversity, equity and inclusion at WCU,” News 13 noted. “An undercover investigator with Accuracy in Media, a nonprofit conservative watchdog organization, recorded Price.”
The video was posted on AIM’s YouTube page.
News 13 added, “In the video, an unidentified interviewer is speaking with Price about DEI policies regarding the university. Price says the university is ‘trying to embed that kind of diversity, equity, inclusiveness really across every area.
’“The video also shows AIM President Adam Guillette trying to interview other WCU officials about Price and her comments on DEI. The other WCU officials provided ‘no comment.’“Price also made comments about how she thinks DEI should be implemented at WCU.“‘Like every area should have responsibility for that. Like it shouldn’t just be an office or figurehead,’ Price said."
Elsewhere, WCU’s communication manager, Julia Hartberger Duvall, issued the following statement:
“Western Carolina University complies fully with the spirit and letter of all state and federal laws and UNC System policies on equality and institutional neutrality. The director of institutional assessment, featured in the video, has no role in policy or compliance decisions and was not authorized to speak on behalf of the university. As of mid-April, Dr. Price is no longer employed at WCU. Further, in 2024, WCU dissolved its diversity, equity, and inclusion office in compliance with UNC Policy directives.
“Campus leadership is working to ensure that employees understand and follow all relevant policies and laws and is conducting a thorough review of our student support services to ensure there is a consistent understanding of policy compliance.”
In May 2024, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors voted 22-2 to eliminate its DEI program from the system’s 16 campuses. The program was replaced with a new policy called “Equality Within the University of North Carolina.”
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