UNC-Chapel Hill Civics School to Split From College of Arts & Sciences

UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Civic Life and Leadership will move out of the College of Arts and Sciences and become a standalone academic unit, the university announced Wednesday.

SCiLL, as the controversial school is known, has been part of the college since its inception. Arts and Sciences is UNC-CH’s largest academic unit and is home to a wide range of departments and interdisciplinary centers. The change will make SCiLL more like the Kenan-Flagler Business School or the Hussman School of Journalism and Media.

When the UNC-CH Board of Trustees passed a surprise resolution three years ago urging the administration to create a new civics program, they suggested it could be “nested within an existing college or school.” Then-Provost Chris Clemens said at the time that such an arrangement—which has precedents at other universities but is not common at UNC-CH—would give SCiLL “prominence” while allowing it to share staff, deans, and administrators with the larger unit. But the school has grown since then and now includes several such positions, per its website.

“This is an important step in strengthening Carolina’s commitment to preparing students for thoughtful engagement in civic life,” Chancellor Lee Roberts said in a news release. “By establishing SCiLL as an independent unit, we are ensuring it has the focus and support needed to continue expanding its impact.”

The school will be UNC-CH’s 15th, per the release. The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board first reported the news on Tuesday.

Records obtained by The Assembly show the move had been in the works since at least early 2025. Last February, Clemens and administrators in SCiLL and the college circulated draft documents outlining a transition that would conclude by December 31. It’s not clear why the plan was delayed, but Clemens resigned as provost last spring and SCiLL later was the subject of an internal investigation at the university. 

The draft documents stated SCiLL was apt to become independent because it had “stood up a substantial portion of its teaching and administrative enterprise” and because the university expected to receive annual, continuing funds from the General Assembly to support its operations. The legislature was an early supporter of SCiLL, allocating millions in start-up funds and mandating that it hire faculty from outside the university. The UNC System last year identified the school as one of a handful of high-demand programs for which it would seek additional state support. The National Endowment for the Humanities also recently awarded SCiLL a $10 million grant.

“The College was tasked with launching SCiLL in 2023, and we did so quickly,” College of Arts and Sciences Dean Jim White said in the release. “This transition reflects its growth into an independent unit, and the Dean’s Office will work over the next several months to ensure a smooth transition.”

For all its support, though, SCiLL has been a source of controversy on campus. 

Dave Boliek, who was chair of the trustees in 2023 and is now the state auditor, said on Fox News days after the board passed the resolution supporting the school that SCiLL would “remedy” what he said was a shortage of right-leaning views at the university. 

Jed Atkins, the school’s dean, has said its goals under his leadership are “providing an education grounded in encouraging the human search for meaning” and “understanding the history, institutions, and values of the American political tradition.” He has shaped SCiLL in his vision, hiring several faculty who share his interests in religion and Western political philosophy. The school now has more than 20 professors.

Hiring has been a point of contention in the school and has led to infighting among faculty. Members of SCiLL’s advisory board resigned over the issues, with one saying she had “lost faith” in Atkins’ leadership, while a professor who supported Atkins accused the detractors of improperly seeking jobs for their friends. 

Following reports about the turmoil, Roberts announced last September that the university would investigate the school—a process that lasted several months and cost the university more than $1 million, but the findings remain concealed. (The Assembly and other outlets have sued the university over its refusal to release the results of the probe.)

The university says more than 1,000 students took SCiLL courses this academic year. The school currently offers a minor for undergraduate students and plans to add a major and graduate programs.

“SCiLL has built a strong foundation in faculty, courses, programs and partnerships,” Atkins said Wednesday. “Independence allows us to broaden our impact and equip more students with the habits of civil discourse, sound judgment and civic leadership.”

Matt Hartman contributed reporting.