By Caroline Lamb | Published 6 hours ago

More than 60 UNC law faculty have signed onto a statement asserting that the UNC Board of Governors recommendations on the future of two centers in the law school limit academic freedom and chill free speech.

The response comes after a working group tasked with reviewing the UNC systems 237 centers and institutes recommended the elimination of the Center on Poverty, Work & Opportunity. Some board members also suggested that the Center for Civil Rights stop engaging in litigation against the state and municipalities which law professors say would limit their work.

Such active suppression of free speech contravenes the very lifeblood of a public university, where dialogue and dissent must be permitted to survive, the statement said.

Some faculty believe the recommended closing of the poverty center is an attempt to chill the free speech of Gene Nichol, the centers director, who is known for his passionate editorials opposing Republican state leadership.

Jack Boger, dean of UNCs law school, said faculty were distressed to hear the poverty center might close since it does a lot of good work.

Boger said academic freedom is at risk because the board is suggesting that they will take action if they disagree with what faculty members say.

Thats what would strike at a universitys core circumstances, that the first-rate university is a place where people are permitted to speak freely and controversially on lots of issues, Boger said.

Conflicting court rulings regarding the free speech rights of public employees such as professors make the topic a national debate, said Victoria Ekstrand, a UNC media law professor.

Its about whether the employees interest in speaking outweighs the employers interest in regulating that expression, she said.

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Law faculty take stand on poverty centers potential closing