As the Board of Trustees for UNC-Chapel Hill, we are called to serve the people of North Carolina and aid the institution to perform at a high level of excellence in every area of endeavor. Fundamental to our mission, we care deeply about the safety, welfare, and well-being of our campus community.
At the Chancellor’s suggestion, and as I mentioned in my remarks at the Board’s September board meeting, the Board will provide an opportunity for campus input on the Confederate monument in conjunction with the next Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, November 15th at 9:00 a.m. in the Chancellor’s Ballroom at the Carolina Inn. We invite you to share your thoughts and concerns about the monument with us.
Because time constraints limit the number of speakers we can accommodate, we are also providing two other ways for you to communicate your thoughts to the Board: (1) you can email your comments to the Board at publicbot@unc.edu; and (2) you can leave a hard copy of comments in a box we will provide outside the meeting room location.
We are able to accommodate 25 speakers to speak up to 3 minutes each. Speakers will be invited in the order they have signed up, but we will make sure that at least 10 students will have the opportunity to speak. You may sign up to speak starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 10, and continuing through 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12, by following this link: https://bot.unc.edu/comments/. We will notify all persons signing up whether they have secured a slot to speak during this session as soon as possible but in any event by 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12. Anyone who does not secure a speaking slot is encouraged to submit written comments as provided above.
Please read the guidelines for this session on the website above prior to signing up for a speaking slot. The Board is providing an opportunity for members of the campus community to express their points of view. We ask that decorum and respect for all be maintained in order for the event to run smoothly. Speakers will not be permitted to ask questions as the purpose of this session is to listen to their thoughts and concerns.
We are committed to sharing the full and accurate story of our University’s history, and continue to work with Chancellor Folt and the Chancellor’s Task Force on UNC-Chapel Hill History on the Confederate monument and other issues.
Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Haywood D. Cochrane, Jr.
Chair, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Trustees