When there are events and demonstrations on campus, especially around significant current events or milestones, there may be fear and apprehension on the part of some members of our community about how those events will be handled. In these situations, University leadership prepares to mitigate and address potential disruptions to operations so that our community can safely learn, live and work. Those preparations are guided by our shared values of support for free speech and expression while maintaining a safe environment for our campus community, as outlined in a message from Chancellor Lee H. Roberts and Provost Chris Clemens on Aug. 21, 2024. The University condemns violence in all forms and also condemns Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and all other forms of hate, prejudice and injustice.
The University prepares for events and demonstrations with a thorough review of safety measures and best practices, engagement with the community and programming that promotes civil discourse. The following is information on how the University plans for events and demonstrations and provides resources should you need to report harassment or discrimination or need support.
For up-to-date information on how events on campus have been handled, visit the Updates on Events and Demonstrations page.
Campus Safety
The University has assembled a core group of representatives from departments around the University to plan for and respond to any disruptions on campus.
UNC Police keeps track of information suggesting a disruption to campus is possible and maintains heightened visibility during significant events. In the event of a disruption, UNC Police’s priority is always to prioritize the safety of our students, staff, faculty and visitors.
Safety resources are also available on campus, including:
- UNC Police: In an emergency, call 911. To report potential criminal or suspicious activity, look for a UNC Police officer on patrol or go to the Public Safety Building at 285 Manning Dr. For routine, non-emergency calls, please call 919-962-8100. UNC Police can assist in contacting other law enforcement agencies and determining which one has proper jurisdiction.
- Alert Carolina: UNC-Chapel Hill uses Alert Carolina, an emergency notification system, to communicate with students, faculty and staff, as well as visitors, local residents, parents and the news media in the event of an emergency, a dangerous situation, serious criminal activity or impactful weather events. Register your cellphone to receive Alert Carolina text messages.
- Carolina Ready Safety App: This comprehensive mobile tool offers multiple ways for users to report suspected crimes or suspicious activity. Features include Mobile BlueLight to place an emergency call to UNC 911 dispatch and identify your location; Report a Tip to share information with UNC Police through a phone call or the app, including options to remain anonymous; and Take Action Guides to access tips and guidance on how to prepare for various situations before an emergency occurs. To download the app, visit the Campus Safety website.
- Anonymously report a crime online or by phone: To report suspected criminal activity confidentially as a UNC Silent Witness, you may use this online form, or call 919-942-7515 to report information about a crime anonymously to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro-UNC Police CrimeStoppers.
Student and Employee Support
The University recognizes these events and interruptions may prove difficult for members of our campus community and resources are available to support our community.
Students may contact the Dean of Students at 919-966-4042, as well as Counseling and Psychological Services, part of Campus Health Services, at 919-966-3658. Students can also submit a Care Referral Form for assistance.
Faculty or staff may call the Employee Assistance Program at 877-314-5841, 24 hours a day. Log on with a username and password or register with Web ID: TARHEELS. Support is free and confidential.
Reporting Discrimination and Harassment
Campus community members may contact the Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office (EOC) to report discrimination and harassment based on protected status, including age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and veteran status.
Visit the EOC website to learn more about the University’s Non-Discrimination Policy Statement and relevant University policies and procedures, including the Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Misconduct and the Policy on Prohibited Sexual Harassment Under Title IX. You can also learn more about the University’s policy and procedures addressing violence in the workplace.
Community Engagement
University leadership keeps in regular communication with members of our community who have been impacted by current events, whether global or local. For instance, shortly after Oct. 7, 2023, the University reached out to students whose families may have been impacted by the violence to offer support. Throughout the spring semester, University leadership met regularly with students and representatives from the Jewish, Israeli, Arab, Palestinian and Muslim communities, and that has continued this fall.
University leadership also engages with students and student groups when they are planning events or demonstrations that may be controversial to provide resources about free speech rights as well as University policies and applicable laws.
In addition, the Provost’s Office often communicates with faculty and instructors during potentially stressful events or milestones to provide strategies for addressing the impact on students’ ability to focus and feel safe in class. For example, the Provost will send a message to faculty regarding religious holidays, global events, like the upcoming U.S. elections, and the impact of major event anniversaries, such as the Oct. 7 anniversary.
Programming
Schools and departments often host opportunities for productive and respectful dialogue about difficult topics. Some examples of these types of events are:
- The Program for Public Discourse within the School of Civic Life and Leadership hosts the Abbey Speaker Series, which brings experts from different disciplines and fields to campus as individuals, in pairs or on panels to foster productive dialogue on timely issues across a range of perspectives. These events are free and open to the public.
- The University hosted free expression sessions for students during the first week of school in fall 2024 and plan to continue them in the future. These sessions, conducted by faculty from the School of Civic Life and Leadership, included a history lesson regarding free speech in the United States and at the University, a free expression exercise, and information about free expression and civil discourse resources on campus. The goals of these sessions were to normalize respectful disagreement and to engage in constructive dialogue with individuals of different perspectives.
- The University also hosted sponsored, or co-sponsored several events about Judaism, antisemitism, and Israeli-Palestinian relations and developed the Dialogue for Understanding series, which was held in spring 2024.