University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL)

Summary

In February 2018, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill began planning what would become the School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL) through the Program for Public Discourse, an initiative aimed at teaching students civil discourse, political literacy, and leadership skills. Planning included conversations with faculty leaders and site visits, laying the groundwork for a formal school supported by university leadership and state lawmakers. UNC leaders described SCiLL’s mission as promoting civic education, thoughtful engagement in democracy, and civil discourse, rather than advancing religious agendas.

On March 1, 2024, UNC appointed Jed Atkins, a professor of classical studies at Duke University and director of Duke’s Civil Discourse Project, as SCiLL’s director and dean. He was tasked with overseeing the school’s expansion, faculty recruitment, and development of courses and public programming. Atkins and supporters emphasized that SCiLL’s purpose is to foster a free‑speech culture, encourage exploration of foundational texts and civic thought, and prepare students for active civic participation. The curriculum includes classical political theory, American political thought, and civic philosophy. Some critics, however, interpreted the focus on “foundational texts” as emphasizing conservative or classical Western canon teaching over modern critical or progressive perspectives. This perception contributed to debate over whether SCiLL was designed to advance particular ideological viewpoints rather than provide neutral civic education. The initial nine faculty members were appointed in October 2023, each serving half‑time while retaining positions in their home departments. Atkins’ appointment was part of broader efforts to establish SCiLL as a prominent civic education initiative.

During March 2025, SCiLL expanded its faculty and programming, including workshops, courses, and public events. Controversy arose over personnel and governance issues, including the firing of associate dean David Decosimo, who remained on the faculty but lost his administrative role, and the departure of nine other faculty members over the preceding year. Critics raised concerns about political influence in the school’s founding and operations, citing connections to networks aligned with conservative academic circles and suggesting the school served a partisan purpose. Some faculty characterized SCiLL as promoting right‑leaning viewpoints rather than a neutral space for civil discourse. These concerns contributed to broader public and legislative attention and ultimately led to a formal investigation.

Early in 2026, a new dean joined Atkins to work alongside him; while the specific date was not widely reported, this leadership addition occurred amid continuing scrutiny and reflected UNC’s effort to stabilize SCiLL’s administration.

On March 6, 2026, UNC announced the conclusion of the independent review of SCiLL, conducted by an outside law firm that spent seven months interviewing dozens of people and reviewing hundreds of thousands of documents. The university said it found no evidence of wrongdoing and reaffirmed confidence in Atkins’ leadership, highlighting his role in establishing SCiLL’s academic foundation, recruiting faculty, and advancing programming. However, UNC did not release the specific findings or any resulting steps, citing personnel confidentiality and other protections under state law and university policy. The review report was over 400 pages long, but officials declined to make it public due to privacy laws protecting confidential personnel information.