The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, a panel made up of President Donald Trump’s appointees, on Thursday approved his proposal to build a ballroom larger than the White House itself where the East Wing once stood.The meeting was supposed to be on the design, with a final vote expected at next month’s session. But the chairman, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., made a motion to also vote on final approval, and six of the seven commissioners who were all installed by the Republican president since the start of the year voted in favor twice. One commissioner, James McCrery, did not vote because he was the initial architect on the project.“Our sitting president has actually designed a very beautiful structure,” Cook said before the voting. “The United States just should not be entertaining the world in tents.”Cook echoed one of Trump’s arguments for adding a ballroom to the White House: It would end the long-standing practice of erecting temporary structures that Trump calls tents on the South Lawn to host visiting dignitaries for state dinners and other functions.Cook said no other president had taken steps to correct that “until President Trump.”The project will be the subject of additional discussion by the National Capital Planning Commission in March.At the fine art’s commission’s January meeting, some commissioners questioned the lead architect about the “immense” design and scale of the project even as they broadly endorsed Trump’s vision for a ballroom roughly twice the size of the White House itself.Some changes suggested at that meeting were made and were welcomed by the commissioners on Thursday.Trump’s decision in October to demolish the East Wing prompted a public outcry when it began without the independent reviews, congressional approval and public comment that are typical even for relatively minor modifications to historic buildings in Washington.The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued in federal court to halt construction of the ballroom. A court decision in the case is pending.The project is scheduled for additional discussion at a March 5 meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission, which is led by one of Trump’s top White House aides. The commission has jurisdiction over construction and major renovations to government buildings in the region.___This story has been corrected to reflect that the ballroom was approved by six of the seven commissioners and that one commissioner did not vote because he was the initial architect on the project.
WASHINGTON —
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, a panel made up of President Donald Trump’s appointees, on Thursday approved his proposal to build a ballroom larger than the White House itself where the East Wing once stood.
The meeting was supposed to be on the design, with a final vote expected at next month’s session. But the chairman, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., made a motion to also vote on final approval, and six of the seven commissioners who were all installed by the Republican president since the start of the year voted in favor twice. One commissioner, James McCrery, did not vote because he was the initial architect on the project.
“Our sitting president has actually designed a very beautiful structure,” Cook said before the voting. “The United States just should not be entertaining the world in tents.”
Cook echoed one of Trump’s arguments for adding a ballroom to the White House: It would end the long-standing practice of erecting temporary structures that Trump calls tents on the South Lawn to host visiting dignitaries for state dinners and other functions.
Cook said no other president had taken steps to correct that “until President Trump.”
The project will be the subject of additional discussion by the National Capital Planning Commission in March.
At the fine art’s commission’s January meeting, some commissioners questioned the lead architect about the “immense” design and scale of the project even as they broadly endorsed Trump’s vision for a ballroom roughly twice the size of the White House itself.
Some changes suggested at that meeting were made and were welcomed by the commissioners on Thursday.
Trump’s decision in October to demolish the East Wing prompted a public outcry when it began without the independent reviews, congressional approval and public comment that are typical even for relatively minor modifications to historic buildings in Washington.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued in federal court to halt construction of the ballroom. A court decision in the case is pending.
The project is scheduled for additional discussion at a March 5 meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission, which is led by one of Trump’s top White House aides. The commission has jurisdiction over construction and major renovations to government buildings in the region.
___
This story has been corrected to reflect that the ballroom was approved by six of the seven commissioners and that one commissioner did not vote because he was the initial architect on the project.
PORTLAND, Ore. –Multnomah County is working to replace the 110-year-old Stark Street Bridge and they have have a major boost to get going on serious design. They are taking public opinion on aesthics and other ideas. Below is a press release from the county which includes a link to make comments.
Multnomah County, Ore. (Feb. 12, 2026) — On Thursday, Feb. 12, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a notice of intent, giving staff the green light to apply for a $5 million federal grant that would go toward replacing the Stark Street Bridge in Troutdale.
The grant is through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program. The funding would go toward design of the new Stark Street Bridge.
Multnomah County is taking proactive steps to replace the current crossing over the Sandy River that serves as a critical connection for east County residents and access to the scenic Columbia River Gorge. The Stark Street Bridge is more than 110 years old and at the end of its service life.
“East County residents rely heavily on this bridge as well as those visiting our scenic areas and tourist destinations,” District 4 Multnomah County Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon said. “But there have been a series of crashes into the bridge that have caused long-term closures of the bridge, creating longer detours for our community. That’s why the County is prioritizing this bridge replacement project to continue crucial infrastructure improvements in East County.”
The Stark Street Bridge Replacement Project is currently in the Environmental Review Phase.
“During this phase, the County will evaluate potential options for replacing the existing bridge with a new structure that integrates seamlessly into the natural area, while meeting modern design and safety standards,” Multnomah County Project Manager Megan Neill said.
The project team will apply for the grant this month and expects to hear back on the application in summer 2026.
Semi-trucks closure
In December 2025, the County closed the Stark Street Bridge to all semi-trucks and commercial trucks that weigh more than 19 tons and are traveling from the Historic Columbia River Highway.
The County made this change after semi-trucks repeatedly hit the bridge, frequently taking the turn onto the bridge too quickly. These crashes often resulted in damage to the bridge or its approach. To keep everyone safe, this new restriction will be in place until the bridge is replaced.
Emergency repair project
In September 2024 a supporting stone wall for the Stark Street Bridge partially collapsed. The bridge was closed for six months for emergency repairs and reopened on March 6, 2025. The partial collapse in 2024 was caused by a series of crashes by vehicles and large trucks over the last decade that weakened the supporting wall.
The County rebuilt the north bridge approach during those emergency repairs, making it safe for all traffic to use the bridge. However, since the bridge reopened, semi-trucks continued to crash into the bridge while making the turn from the Historic Columbia Highway.
Multnomah County maintains the Stark Street Bridge on the Sandy River. For information, visit: https://www.multco.us/bridges.
James Campbell is escorted out of a April 15, 2024, Cabarrus County commission meeting after he addressed members of the commission by name. The county agreed to settle with Campbell.
Screenshot via CabCoTV.
Cabarrus County commissioners voted 4-1 on Tuesday night to approve a new public-participation policy that rolls back restrictions on what residents can say at board meetings, a move commissioners said was necessary to comply with a recent North Carolina Court of Appeals decision on free speech.
The change came after months of scrutiny surrounding the county’s public-comment rules, which drew a federal lawsuit last year after a resident was removed from a meeting and banned from attending meetings for 90 days after he allegedly violated the county’s policy.
While the new policy removes restrictions on profanity, personal insults and other harsh language in public comment, one commissioner said the change could invite abusive language into county meetings.
“We can basically allow hate speech in here under this policy,” Commissioner Jeff Jones warned, arguing the revised rules could intimidate residents from speaking for fear of “abuse” and could lead to more censorship rather than free-speech rights. “I cannot promote hate speech, and I can not promote any policy that allows obscenity, vulgarity and profanity. I think it degrades the civic discourse of this meeting. It can lower the standards of debate. I think it lowers the standards of Cabarrus County.”
Commissioners approved the new policy after County Attorney Doug Hall said the board was responding to guidance from a state court case, State v. Barthel. The case, decided in November, involved charges tied to a profane banner displayed during an Avery County Board of Commissioners meeting. The Court of Appeals vacated a conviction under North Carolina’s “disrupting an official meeting” law, finding the speech at issue was protected by the First Amendment and emphasizing that government officials “cannot require citizens to be polite when criticizing their representatives.”
“I certainly hear what Commissioner Jones is saying, but I think these changes that you all are considering tonight are more or less necessary for us to comply with this new case,” Hall said.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Commissioner Larry Pittman said he personally disliked profanity and vulgar speech, but said he believed the board had little choice.
“I don’t want that stuff in here, but if we’re constrained by a lawsuit that says we can’t do that anymore, we need to work on changing some minds in the judiciary on that,” he said. “And meanwhile, we have to put up with it. I hate that, but that’s just how it is.”
The new Cabarrus policy vote follows prior controversy over the county’s old rules. Last month, Cabarrus County agreed to publicly acknowledge it had misspoken about its participation policy and provide training for newly elected or appointed commissioners after settling a free-speech lawsuit brought by a county resident. The lawsuit argued the county violated the First Amendment by removing a resident from a meeting and banning him.
Commissioner Ian Patrick, who made the motion to approve the new rules on Tuesday night, told The Charlotte Observer before the meeting that the policy was being updated as part of the board’s annual review process, but also because the Court of Appeals “basically said that there are almost no restrictions on what the public can and can’t say in public meetings,” aside from the need to keep meetings orderly.
Patrick said he believed the old Cabarrus rules were too restrictive even before the ruling, describing them as “draconian” and objecting to language requiring residents to show “respect” toward commissioners.
“They absolutely do not have to respect us if they don’t,” Patrick said. “We work for the public. It’s not the other way around. … I believe that it should be a free-speech policy.”
Patrick reiterated his point on Tuesday night, saying public officials are obligated to listen even when the public’s speech is harsh.
“We are public officials. We are accountable to the people,” Patrick said. “If they have something they want to say to us, whether we like it or not, we have to sit up here and listen to it. … I believe this policy should have been changed long ago.”
This story was originally published January 21, 2026 at 7:45 AM.
Residents demanded an apology from Mayor Mattie Parker after her comments accusing Patrice Jones of being involved in a December 2022 casket incident.
Harrison Mantas
hmantas@star-telegram.com
Fort Worth residents packed a city council public comment meeting Tuesday, demanding that Mayor Mattie Parker apologize for comments directed at nonprofit leader and community activist Patrice Jones.
It comes two weeks after the Sept. 30 council meeting, when Parker told Jones, “I have your casket.”
“I wanted her to know that I knew she was involved in leaving a casket in our front yard. There is evidence in the police report from December of 2022 and eyewitness accounts to this fact,” Parker said in an Oct. 2 statement to the Star-Telegram.
The Star-Telegram filed a records request on Oct. 1 seeking a copy of the full police report and along with photos and evidence. Fort Worth police responded on Oct. 13 saying they are compiling a thumb drive with photos from the incident.
Several residents accused Parker of trying Jones in the court of public opinion without providing evidence to her involvement in the casket incident.
“You said you felt triggered as a mother and a home defender, but what was Atatiana Jefferson,” asked Arlington Heights resident Ken Shimamoto speaking at the Oct. 14 council meeting.
Shimamoto and others called on the Mayor to apologize to Jones, and to increase the number of public comment meetings after the council voted during the Sept. 30 meeting to reduce the number from 15 to 10.
State Rep. and Mercy Culture Pastor Nate Schatzline asked members of his congregation to support city leaders in a social media post, however, in a text message to the Star-Telegram he emphasized the mayor did not ask anyone to speak at the council meeting.
Jones made no mention of the casket comment incident when speaking at the Oct. 14 council meeting.
Instead, she used her time to talk about Atatianna Jefferson and other Fort Worth residents killed in encounters with police, and asked for a moment of silence.
“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains,” Jones said.
Mayor Parker did not speak at the meeting and left immediately after its conclusion.
Harrison Mantas has covered Fort Worth city government, agencies and people since September 2021. He likes to live tweet city hall meetings, and help his fellow Fort Worthians figure out what’s going on.
Last year, New York joined the wave of states passing legislation aimed at protecting minors using the Internet, particularly social media. Governor Kathy Hochul the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act in June 2024. Today, the state’s Attorney General Letitia James released more specifics about what the SAFE for Kids Act will entail in practice. Public comment is open until December 1 and the rules must be finalized within a year from that date.
In particular, the rule will require online platforms to confirm the ages of users before showing them algorithmically-curated feeds or sending them notifications at night. The Attorney General’s approach allows sites to choose their method of age verification, as long as the approach “are shown to be effective and protect users’ data.” New York will also require an age confirmation method that does not rely on having a government-issued ID.
There is also a component of parental consent in the SAFE for Kids Act. Minors must request a social media network to seek parental permission for accessing algorithmic feeds or receiving nighttime notifications. If parental consent is not granted, the platforms may not block minors from generally accessing their service or content. Both the minor and their parent may revoke their consent at any time.
“The proposed rules released by my office today will help us tackle the youth mental health crisis and make social media safer for kids and families,” James said in the announcement. “This is an issue that affects all of us, and I encourage parents, educators, young people, industry groups, and others to review the proposed rules and submit a comment during the public comment period.”
Rutherford County Mayor Joe Carr demands the censure of a county commissioner for calling the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a “terrorist organization.”
Oliver’s comment in question followed public comment speakers’ concerns about the presence of ICE in Rutherford County.
“ICE has been an organization that’s been around for a long time, but it has not been emboldened (as) a terrorist organization like it’s turning out to be,” said Oliver, who represents a District 1 with many minoritiese in north La Vergne. Audience members responded with loud applause and hollers to show their agreement.
Rutherford County Commissioner Hope Oliver, for District 1 speaks out at a Public Safety Committee meeting, on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, where many people spoke out and demonstrated against the possibility of the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department signing a a contract with ICE.
Oliver’s comments come after President Donald Trump ordered ICE in January to carry out significant detainments and deportations of immigrants without documented legal status to be in the U.S.
The president’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by Congress this summer, also includes extra funding to support ICE efforts.
Regan Gomez holds a ÒICE Out of TennesseeÓ sign along with other anti-ICE signs during the public speaking portion of the Rutherford County Public Safety Committee meeting on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025.
The county mayor two days after the public safety meeting rebuked the comments from Oliver about ICE on a WGNS Radio show.
“A terrorist organization, as defined by the U.S. government, is like Mexican cartels enslaving of children for sex trafficking, raping women and beheading men,” Carr told The Daily News Journal Sept. 2.
“It was a horribly egregious and a horrible thing to say.”
Joe Carr
The mayor said ICE agents should not be compared to terrorists.
“They are just enforcing the laws of the country for those who are here unlawfully,” Carr said.
A former state representative from 2008-2014, Carr advocated for Tennessee legislation on immigration policy, including a law in 2011 requiring employers to use the federal government’s E-Verify online records to confirm the eligibility of employees to work in the U.S.
Carr also touts about writing the nation’s first state law prohibiting sanctuary cities in 2009.
The mayor suggested the Republican majority 21-member County Commission hold Oliver accountable by censuring her unless she’s willing to recant what she said and apologize. The commission also includes two Democrats and three independents.
Oliver stands by her comments about ICE: ‘It’s racial profiling’
Hope Oliver
Oliver told the DNJ that she stands by what she said about unidentifiable ICE agents.
“We see it every day in the media masked (ICE agents) attacking people and terrorizing people,” Oliver said.
“They are claiming to be ICE, but they are not showing any identification, no warrants, and they’re masked. How do we know who they are? That is not right.”
Oliver said local law enforcement officers identify themselves.
“They are a part of our community,” said Oliver, who noted the presence of school resource officers and others in law enforcement.
“We see them in the grocery store. We go to church with them. We see them at the ball game. We know who they are.”
Oliver: Immigrants detained by ICE ‘need to have due process’
Commissioner Oliver during the Aug. 25 public safety committee meeting praised local law enforcement.
Oliver also told the DNJ that immigrants detained by ICE “need to have due process.”
“It’s racial profiling,” Oliver said. “You don’t see them picking up white people. They are picking up brown and black people.”
Oliver said Carr’s opinion of her comments is “his problem, not mine.”
“As far as rebuke is concerned, his party has someone in office (who has been investigated on charges of) inciting an insurrection (that led to) assaulting and killing of police officers,” Oliver said.
“So the rebuke needs to start within his own party.”
Oliver’s comments to the DNJ allude to Trump’s speech to supporters — which has been criticized by some — ahead of the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, when Congress was in session to certify the election of then Democratic President-elect Joe Biden.
Leader of county’s Democratic Party supports Oliver
Matt Fee
Matt Fee, the chair of the Rutherford County Democratic Party, responded to the mayor’s radio comments by posting a social media video in support of what Oliver said about ICE.
“She did not say anything that was inaccurate,” Fee told the DNJ. “What else are you supposed to call ICE agents when they are all over the streets in America masked and unidentified. What they’re doing has a chilling affect on communities where they are afraid to call for police support when a crime is happening. What ICE is doing is not in support of public safety.”
Fee noted that he along with Oliver were among those who attended a town hall meeting in May pertaining to immigrants, law enforcement in La Vergne and emergency medical services.
La Vergne Police Chief Christopher Moews organized the town hall event because he suspects deportation fears might have contributed to a delayed emergency call for a 6-month-old baby, who died around Easter. The chief urged people at the meeting to call 911 for emergencies.
Commissioner Harris backs Oliver’s ‘right to say whatever she wants’
Craig Harris
Any effort by the county commission to censure Oliver would typically start with the Steering, Legislative and Governmental committee led by Chairman Craig Harris.
“We are not going to do that,” Harris told the DNJ. “I haven’t had any commissioner call me to do that.”
Harris also said he supports Rutherford County Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh’s approach in notifying ICE after the arrest of foreign-born people on criminal charges in Rutherford.
The sheriff told the audience at the Aug. 25 public safety meeting that his office since 1996 has adhered to any federal detainment warrant on immigrants for 48 hours after they’ve completed required sentences before release for ICE agents to pick up.
Harris disagrees with comments, but calls censure retaliation
Commissioner Harris said he disagrees with what Oliver said about ICE even if he opposes censuring her.
“She as a commissioner has a right to say whatever she wants,” said Harris, who announced June 24 that he’s campainging for county mayor in 2026 to replace Carr.
“I just think this is nothing but retaliation.”
Carr previously considered for censure
Oliver and Harris in 2024 were among 11 commissioners who voted to censure Carr after the mayor had signed a constract for a solid waste transfer station project without first obtaining the required approval of the Purchasing Committee he leads as chairman.
Carr said his call for the commission to censor Oliver for her public comments about ICE is not retaliation.
“She doesn’t get to falsely accuse ICE for doing what a terrorist organization does,” Carr said. “She has her facts wrong, and they are terribly distorted.”
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
There were fewer than 24 hours between The News & Observer revealing the evening of April 16 that the UNC System Board of Governors would consider a policy targeting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, and a board committee voting to approve the move.
And there were fewer than 48 hours between the policy becoming public knowledge and the board’s public comment submission form for the meeting closing Thursday at 5 p.m.
But the short turnarounds didn’t keep some members of the public from making their opinions on the policy heard.
Public comment records provided to The N&O by the UNC System office show that 25 people submitted comments to the board for its April 17-18 meetings. Of those, 21 comments were about the proposed policy changes to diversity efforts at the state’s public universities. Two of the comments supported the board’s action. The remaining 19 denounced the move.
So, what did the comments say?
Welcome to Dean’s List, a weekly roundup of higher education news in the Triangle and across North Carolina from The News & Observer and myself, Korie Dean.
This week’s edition takes a deeper look at the public comments submitted regarding a Board of Governors committee’s vote to repeal the UNC System’s existing policy on diversity and inclusion, plus information on the new interim chancellor at Appalachian State University and the impending retirement of Campbell University’s president.
Kellie Blue, chair of the UNC System Board of Governors’ University Governance committee, speaks during a meeting on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Winston-Salem, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Public comments to Board of Governors regarding DEI
The Board of Governors, which oversees all of the state’s public universities plus the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, generally does not allow public comments during its meetings, but it accepts written comments through an online form ahead of full-board meetings.
Ahead of the board’s April meeting, the public comment submission form was open from April 9 until April 18 at 5 p.m.
The N&O was the first to report Tuesday, April 16, that the board’s University Governance committee would consider a policy repealing the UNC System’s existing policy and regulations on diversity and inclusion. Among other changes, the new policy is expected to impact DEI-related jobs that are currently mandated under the existing policy, either by eliminating the positions or by forcing their ties to DEI to be removed or revised.
The policy was added to the committee’s meeting materials that Tuesday afternoon, ahead of its Wednesday afternoon meeting. It was not included in the materials when they were first made available about a week before the meeting.
Public comments on the topic began to pour in sometime Wednesday, according to the records. The records show that students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff affiliated with seven of the state’s 16 public universities submitted comments.
In the two comments supporting the board’s proposed policy:
▪ Chris Kirby, a professor at UNC Charlotte, urged the board to eliminate funding for DEI efforts and activities throughout the university system, saying that those promoting the efforts “seek to inculcate unwavering adherence to predetermined political ideologies.”
Kirby wrote that UNC Charlotte has “a wide-reaching DEI bureaucracy” that includes several “high-level administrators.” Kirby wrote he believes the “bureaucracy” advances “an inherently political agenda” that “also wastes an extraordinary amount of taxpayer dollars.”
“State residents should not be subsidizing out-of-control administrative bloat that contributes to rising college costs and student indebtedness,” Kirby wrote. “Defunding the DEI bureaucracy would help restore the focus of all constituent institutions to their traditional guiding principles: freedom of academic inquiry, merit-based advancement, and scholarly excellence.”
UNC Charlotte, like many campuses across the UNC System, operates an Office of Diversity and Inclusion that is overseen by a chief diversity officer and employs other staff members. The office, which was established in 2020, has a stated mission “to guide UNC Charlotte toward inclusive excellence by creating a culture and climate where students and employees can access and thrive.”
“We do this by leading in developing, integrating, and advancing the university’s inclusive excellence strategy to support our vision of educating, inspiring, and empowering communities to champion humanity, care and dignity for all,” the office’s website states.
▪ Michelle Bardsley, a parent of two UNC System graduates, asked the board to “take steps to eliminate DEI programs and funding in our NC colleges and K-12 public schools.”
“Our NC educational institutions need to be focused on teaching our children and young adults’ employable career and workforce skills, leadership, and character education,” Bardsley wrote. “Let’s stay focused on the mission of public education in NC, spend tax dollars wisely, and successfully prepare our children and young adults to work and compete in a global economy.”
Andrew Tripp, General Counsel for the UNC System, speaks during a meeting of the UNC System Board of Governors’ University Governance committee on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Winston-Salem, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Among the remaining 19 comments, which opposed the board’s proposed policy:
▪ Tamika Henderson, a parent affiliated with UNC-Chapel Hill, wrote to the board to express “deep concern and strong opposition” to the proposed policy.
“As a concerned citizen, parent of a UNC student, and advocate for equal opportunity and inclusivity in education, I firmly believe that diversity and inclusion are crucial components of a thriving academic environment,” Henderson wrote. “The UNC System has long been recognized for its commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community, and the proposed elimination of diversity goals and jobs undermines these fundamental principles.”
Henderson said the proposal would “risk diminishing the reputation of UNC, devaluing a degree from UNC thereby creating a negative economic impact.”
“This proposal not only undermines the efforts of individuals who have worked tirelessly to promote diversity and inclusion within the UNC System, but it also sends a concerning message to current and prospective students, faculty, and staff who value and rely on the commitment to diversity,” Henderson wrote.
▪ Hope Murphy Tyehimba, a two-time alumna of UNC-Chapel Hill and former employee of East Carolina University, NC State University and NC Central University, wrote that she was “greatly troubled by the direction that the UNC Board of Governors is considering taking regarding this matter.”
Tyehimba said she credits her success at UNC, both as an undergraduate student and as a law student, to the support services she received from the university as a first-generation student from rural North Carolina. She later paid that success forward by advising other students from similar backgrounds, she wrote.
“The thought of UNC no longer providing specialized support and resources to African American students, and other students of color, is greatly troubling and concerning. The university is quickly transforming into an institution that I no longer recognize,” Tyehimba wrote. “Please reconsider taking any action that would limit the ability of DEI officers to be employed within the System and to continue providing much needed services to students like me who relied upon and provided such services to others.”
▪ Cameron Toler, a student at the UNC School of the Arts, wrote that the board’s decision to act on the policy during its meeting at the school was “insulting,” given that the university “flourishes without question as a result of DEI.”
“This moment is a scourge upon our institutions and I hope for the sake of every students wellbeing and the integrity of their education that a change is made in the leadership that led to this decision,” Toler wrote. “How dare this decision be made.”
▪ Sarah Ho, a staff member at the NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine, wrote to the board to describe the positive impact she sees DEI-related staff make at the college.
“They prepare our students well for a diverse and global workforce. They work to ensure ALL of our students feel a sense of belonging. Their efforts help to attract the best students, faculty, and staff to the University,” Ho wrote. “Our community would suffer greatly without them. Please do not cut this vital resource.”
▪ TaMera Harris, a graduate of NC Central University, denounced the board’s action, writing that “diversity is needed to make sure that an opportunity of higher education is afforded to everyone.”
Interested in submitting a comment to the board? The online form to submit public comments to the Board of Governors is expected to reopen in advance of the group’s May meeting, when it will vote on the DEI policy change through its consent agenda. The form to submit a comment can be found on the UNC System website: northcarolina.edu/leadership-and-governance/board-of-governors/meetings-materials/public-comment-sessions.
Interim chancellor named at App State
Heather Hulburt Norris will serve as the interim chancellor of Appalachian State University.
Norris had been serving as the university’s provost and executive vice chancellor since 2020, first on an interim basis before securing the role fully in 2021. She first came to the university in 2003 before rising through the ranks to become dean of the university’s Walker College of Business in 2016.
“Dr. Norris is an experienced and talented leader who is well regarded in the App State community,” Hans said in a news release Friday. “She has served in various roles at the university, from faculty member to dean to provost, and she has excelled at all of them because of her collaborative style and her commitment to public service. I’m grateful to her for taking on the position of interim chancellor.”
Norris said she is “passionate about the success of our students, faculty and staff” and is looking forward “to working collaboratively with faculty, staff, students and members of the communities we serve to ensure the continued success of this great institution.”
The UNC System news release said that a search for the next permanent chancellor of App State will be launched “in the near future.” The system is also searching for new chancellors at four other universities: UNC-Chapel Hill, NC A&T State University, Winston-Salem State University and NC Central University.
Heather Hulburt Norris is the interim chancellor of Appalachian State University. Courtesy of the UNC System
Creed, a scholar and historian of religion, in 2015 became the private, Christian university’s fifth president after serving in administrative roles at Samford University and the George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University.
During his time at the helm of Campbell, Creed led the university through the COVID-19 pandemic and oversaw the university’s most successful capital campaign, which raised more than $105 million, among other accomplishments.
“Serving as Campbell’s president has been an honor and the capstone of my career in higher education,” Creed said in a news release. “I am thankful for the many wonderful people who assisted and supported me, and especially for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our students. After more than 30 years of leadership in higher education, I’m eager to take on other projects and to spend more time with my loving wife, children, and grandchildren.”
Creed will remain as president for the next year “to keep Campbell moving forward and to ensure a smooth transition to his eventual successor,” Board of Trustees Chair Gene Lewis III said in a news release.
“Thanks to President Creed, Campbell is poised to make great strides under a new leader, who will elevate our university among private institutions of higher learning in the heart of one of America’s fastest-growing states,” Lewis said. “That should be an exciting opportunity for strong candidates nationwide. Our board looks forward to working closely with a search consultant and President Creed to identify the next leader, who will take Campbell to new heights.”
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That’s all for this week’s roundup of North Carolina higher education news. I hope you’ll stay tuned for more.
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This story was originally published April 23, 2024, 11:29 AM.
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Korie Dean covers higher education in the Triangle and North Carolina for The News & Observer. She was previously part of the paper’s service journalism team. She is a graduate of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at UNC-Chapel Hill and a lifelong North Carolinian.
