What Clemens Leaves Behind: UNC’s School of Civic Life and Leadership and the Battle Over Academic Governance
Chris Clemens has stepped down as UNC’s provost. Source: UNC
On April 3rd, UNC announced that Chris Clemens would be stepping down from his position as the university’s provost. Former provost Jim Dean will replace Clemens as the interim provost, effective May 17th. Clemens has been a UNC faculty member since 1998, and has held various leadership roles within the College of Arts and Sciences. In 2017, he described himself as one of “the most outspoken conservative members of the Art and Sciences faculty.” He has held the role of provost since 2021. During those four years, he helped to establish the School of Data Science, the Program for Public Discourse, and the School of Civic Life and Leadership.
As a sponsor of the School of Civic Life and Leadership and self-proclaimed conservative, Clemens has been enmeshed in controversy since his induction as provost. His approval as provost under former Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz was criticized, particularly by the then-Faculty Chair Mimi Chapman who claimed that the election lacked transparency and that Guskiewicz had been pressured into choosing Clemens from powerful forces outside of the provost search committee.
Shortly after his appointment, Clemens helped develop the Program for Public Discourse, a College of Arts and Sciences program meant to promote civil argument, discussion, and conversation. Clemens later drafted a budget memo for the School of Civic Life and Leadership, which the UNC’s Board of Trustees pushed forward in a resolution as a blueprint for the school in 2023. The school’s development was placed on an accelerated path when the State Legislature passed a law requiring UNC to create the school and hire 10-20 faculty from outside of the university. This was met with backlash from faculty who felt blindsided by the secrecy and speed of which the school came to be established.
The School of Civic Life and Leadership has been controversial since its formation in the fall of 2024. The school was marketed outwardly as a place for students to study public discourse, civic life, and civic leadership, nearly identical to the Program for Public Discourse. The curriculum is meant to promote open discussion about complex and contentious topics, such as politics, religion, and global conflicts. However, although appearing to be non-ideological on the outside, the School of Civic Life and Leadership is thought to be rooted in conservative ideals. The school itself was built to resemble other civil discourse centers, often referred to as conservative centers, that were established by university faculty and right-leaning state leaders. The school’s mission — like that of similar centers across the country — is backed by wealthy donors and a gerrymandered GOP supermajority in the state legislature.
Before Clemens announced his resignation as provost, he was involved in a heated faculty battle over hiring at the School of Civic Life and Leadership. Clemens, who ultimately held authority over faculty hiring, initially ordered SCiLL dean Jed Atkins to halt faculty searches in January, citing financial concerns and internal conflicts within the young department. Although funding was later secured and the search resumed, deeper issues plagued the school. Numerous faculty members resigned, citing dysfunction, bias, a breakdown in shared governance, and what they described as an unprecedented level of “incivility and manipulation.” Tensions continued to build when UNC Professor Dustin Sebell accused Clemens of attempting to secure faculty positions for his personal associates and even pursuing a role at SCiLL himself.
Clemens ultimately stated he was stepping down due to recent issues he no longer felt passionate about addressing, without specifying details. Although he will no longer be provost, he will remain a member of UNC’s faculty as a distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences.
It is unclear what will happen to the School of Civic Life and Leadership under a new provost, and whether the conflict within the department will continue or burn out. While Jim Dean has over 40 years of experience in higher education, his leadership has the potential to face significant resistance or struggle to address the deep-rooted issues within the department.