The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) is currently in the midst of a complex situation involving protests, faculty actions, and student concerns. Reports have emerged that some professors are considering withholding students’ final grades in what appears to be a protest action.
Woke-knuckle head professor who seems to care little for their Jewish students is threatening to revolt.
In response to the brewing controversy, UNC-Chapel Hill administrators, including Provost Chris Clemens and Graduate School Dean Beth Mayer-Davis, issued a letter to the university’s deans and department chairs. The letter emphasized the critical importance of submitting grades on time. “We are hearing concerns from students whose instructors have informed them they will withhold grades as part of a protest. These students depend on the timely submission of their grades for graduation, jobs, and athletic eligibility, and it is part of the required duties of all faculty and graduate TAs to submit grades by the registrar deadlines,” the letter stated.
The reason several faculty members, along with teaching assistants, fellows, and graders, is planning to protest is over the university’s disciplinary action against 15 suspended students. A message disseminated via the school portal outlined the planned protest: “In solidarity with these students, I (along with many other faculty, teaching assistants, fellows, and graders across campus) have decided to withhold my reporting of final grades to the Registrar’s Office. On May 13, if the administration has not reinstated the suspended students, you will see a NR (for Not Reported) on your transcript.”
Amid these tensions, political voices have also chimed in. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-NC, expressed his view via social media, advocating for immediate dismissal of any faculty member participating in the grade withholding. “UNC professors should be protecting students who are targets of antisemitism and violence. They should not be protecting the bigots and antisemites. Fire any faculty or staff participating in withholding grades immediately,” he stated on X, formerly known as Twitter.
UNC professors should be protecting students who are targets of antisemitism and violence.
They should not be protecting the bigots and antisemites.
Fire any faculty or staff participating in withholding grades immediately. https://t.co/cfAgpUCIQn
— Rep. Richard Hudson (@RepRichHudson) May 6, 2024
The university’s administration is taking a firm stance against the withholding of grades, warning that such actions could lead to sanctions against those involved.
“Dear Deans and Department Chairs, we are asking you to please work with your faculty and graduate students to ensure that we follow exemplary practice in our work as educators,” Clemens and Mayer-Davis wrote. “We strongly support the right of faculty and graduate students to express their opinions freely but there are better ways to do this than hurting our students and abrogating our contract with the people of North Carolina who support our university.”
Adding: “We are counting on your leadership in this matter.”
The letter also mentioned that “the provost’s office will support sanctions for any instructor who is found to have improperly withheld grades, but it is our hope we can resolve this matter amicably and without harm to students.”
