RALEIGH — UNC Chapel Hill has received the results of an independent review of its School of Civic Life and Leadership — but the public won’t get to read it, with confidentiality of personnel matters and protection of interviewees cited as the reason.
University officials issued formal statements about the review, expressing confidence in the school’s leadership by Director and Dean Jed Atkins, as well as the mission of the School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL).
“The review has concluded, and the University has unwavering confidence in the comprehensiveness, integrity and objectivity of that review,” UNC Chapel Hill General Counsel Paul Newton said in a statement. “The University is committed to taking all steps appropriate to ensure that any necessary corrective actions are taken.
“Among the issues under review were a series of allegations that implicate sensitive and confidential personnel information that is protected by state law and University policy. In accordance with applicable law and policy, the University does not plan to offer any further public statements about the details of the Review.”
Newton is the former North Carolina Senate majority leader who announced his surprise resignation in March 2025. His departure was described in a press release as leaving to “pursue an opportunity outside of state government.” Not long after Newton’s announcement, Sen. Michael Lee (R-New Hanover) was picked to fill the majority leader spot and Newton’s new role at UNC Chapel Hill was made public.
The review, which was initiated seven months ago to address concerns about internal operations and governance, was conducted by the firm of K&L Gates. Professor Michael Gerhardt of UNC’s School of Law, the incoming faculty chair, also served as an expert resource in the review.
Newton’s statement said that over the seven-month review, “K&L Gates met with anyone who expressed a desire to share a perspective — positive or negative — about SCiLL, often meeting with individuals multiple times,” and that the review team interviewed “dozens of individuals” and “hundreds of thousands of documents.”
“Put simply, the review was lengthy, detailed, and exhaustive,” Newton said. “The care taken underscores the University’s resolute commitment to taking all campus concerns seriously and to optimally positioning SCiLL for decades of success.”
A spokesperson for the university said the estimated cost of the SCiLL review and final report totaled $1.2 million, and no state funds were used.
K&L Gates was selected by UNC’s Office of University Counsel in the summer of 2025 for its “global reach and impartiality,” but critics claimed it has links to Republican lawmakers in the General Assembly.
In their statement, the UNC BOT reaffirmed its “strong confidence in the leadership of Atkin, “whose stewardship has helped establish the school as one of the most promising and distinctive new initiatives in civic education at a major public university.”
Chancellor Lee H. Roberts praised the review’s rigor, noting, “We acted deliberately to ensure they were reviewed independently, thoroughly, and objectively,” and commended Atkins for building SCiLL’s foundation amid scrutiny, including securing the NEH grant.
In his own statement, Atkins said he was grateful for the university’s commitment to SCiLL, “due process” and the review providing “clarity.”
“I am grateful to the University for being committed enough to the School of Civic Life and Leadership’s success to commission a careful and independent examination of the relevant facts and policies by K&L Gates in consultation with Professor Michael Gerhardt,” said Atkins. “The completion of this process provides clarity. I am thankful for the care with which it was undertaken and for the University’s commitment to due process and institutional integrity.”
The full statements by Newton, Roberts, the UNC Board of Trustees (UNC BOT) and Atkins can be viewed here.
Broader criticism of SCiLL came from groups like the Coalition for Carolina and the UNC faculty council, which argued the UNC BOT overstepped in accelerating SCiLL’s development along with accusations of inserting political priorities into campus operations.
Established in 2023 by the UNC BOT with backing from state lawmakers, SCiLL focuses on promoting the study of civic discourse and public service, with a focus on classical texts, American political thought, constitutionalism and related topics. The school was created in part to address ideological imbalances on campus, allowing for diverse viewpoints in an environment often described as left leaning.
Since its inception, SCiLL has expanded its offerings, including undergraduate courses, graduate programs and initiatives like summer civics institutes.
In January 2026, it secured a $10.1 million grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to fund endowed professorships, a master’s program in military leadership and a doctorate for civic educators.
At the helm of SCiLL is Atkins, whose choice for the role of inaugural director and dean in March 2024 received praise from the UNC BOT. Previously at Duke University, Atkins served as director of the Civil Discourse Project and chair of the classical studies department, where he received positive feedback.
A scholar in classics and political philosophy, Atkins specializes in Greek and Roman thought, and he has promoted civil discourse, free speech, intellectual diversity and civic education in his work.
The review was prompted by concerns raised about SCiLL’s operations under Atkins’ leadership, including significant faculty and administrative turnover.
By mid-2025, most of the school’s inaugural UNC-based faculty — originally nine members — had left or distanced themselves. The inaugural staff was announced by Craver Family Dean James W.C. White of the College of Arts and Sciences before Atkins was picked for the role.
SCiLL Associate Dean Inger S.B. Brodey resigned in March 2025, with The Daily Tar Heel reporting she described SCiLL as the “least civil department” she had encountered due to problems in faculty searches.
Associate Dean David Decosimo was removed from his administrative role in August 2025, which he criticized on social media, describing it as retaliatory, writing, “Reform must be built on merit, courage, & principle, not nepotism, ideology, & secret handshakes.”
Hiring practices drew scrutiny in June 2025 when SCiLL hired seven new faculty members despite a near-unanimous advisory board vote against the candidate slate earlier that year, as reported by Inside Higher Ed. Critics accused Atkins of overriding shared governance and lacking transparency in the process. Three advisory board members resigned following the vote.
