An Update on the U.S. DEI General Education Program Category Requirement

NC State community:

Last week, NC State received a memo from the UNC System suspending mandatory requirements around diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for graduation and college-specific majors.

I appreciate your patience as my office, the Council on Undergraduate Education (CUE), the Faculty Senate and individual colleges and programs work through this to be fully compliant with the UNC System’s directive while preserving students’ ability to experience a world-class comprehensive education and successfully complete it in a timely manner.

NC State and several other UNC System institutions have a required General Education Program (GEP) that currently includes a DEI category. To ensure that we are in compliance with the UNC System memo, we have suspended our U.S. DEI GEP requirement and are taking the following immediate actions:

• Students currently enrolled in spring 2025 courses to fulfill the U.S. DEI GEP category requirements will be contacted and given the choice of completing the course and receiving appropriate GEP credit or dropping the course without academic penalty.
• Students registered for summer 2025 courses to fulfill the U.S. DEI GEP category requirements may choose to drop them or wait until updated GEP requirements are available in March.

My office is working closely with CUE, the Faculty Senate and colleges to review and update the GEP requirements by early March. Once discussions are complete and a decision is made, further information will be shared.

Please note that the courses currently offered in the U.S. DEI GEP category will still be available as electives or as a recommended major course. Students may still choose to take these courses based on their academic interests.

Additional guidance regarding these changes is being provided to academic advisors. I encourage students to contact their academic advisors directly with any questions.

Thank you,

Warwick Arden
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost