UNC Asheville Dean Resigns After Secret Video Exposes DEI Defiance
A dean at the University of North Carolina Asheville (UNC Asheville) has been dismissed after an undercover video revealed her secret promotion of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies despite state and federal efforts to roll back these initiatives. The video, obtained by Fox News Digital and Accuracy In Media, shows the dean, Megan Pugh, admitting to ‘loving breaking rules’ to continue DEI activities under the guise of ‘equity work’. UNC Asheville has since terminated Pugh’s employment, citing her comments as a violation of institutional policies and legal obligations.
Pugh’s comments come a year after the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors voted to essentially ban DEI and focus on ‘institutional neutrality’, as reported by the Carolina Journal. The Accuracy in Media video captures Pugh saying ‘M’hm’ when asked if ‘breaking rules’ is ‘why y’all kind of spread it out and stuff?’ She clarifies that part of it is due to the lack of a dedicated office for DEI, making it easier to maintain the practices until ‘more or less they get mad at us, but they haven’t done it yet.’
Despite the state’s efforts to roll back DEI policies, Pugh explains her openness and ‘intention’ to implement implicit bias training under a ‘broader banner,’ suggesting a creative approach to continue the initiatives. However, UNC Asheville has stated that the dean’s remarks do not represent the university’s practices and that the institution remains committed to upholding all policies and federal and state laws.
Conservative lawmakers, including GOP Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, have expressed concern over the video, urging a complete overhaul of the university’s administration, citing the entrenched presence of ‘caustic ideology’ in postsecondary education. Meanwhile, efforts by the Trump administration to roll back DEI have also faced challenges, with some institutions finding ways to rebrand these policies under new names, according to experts.