A nutrition fellowship program for the University of North Carolina removed its race-based criteria for membership following discrimination complaints. The removed material for the Fellowship for Exploring Research in Nutrition stated members must have a “racial/ethnic background of [BIPOC] that is historically marginalized in academia and the field of nutrition in the United States.” UNC at Chapel Hill’s Media Relations Manager Pace Sagester said the information had been corrected to reflect “an inclusive and equitable community for all.”
From The Daily Caller:
“Obesity disproportionately impacts Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and other historically marginalized communities; yet people from these communities are traditionally underrepresented among researchers working to develop, research, and evaluate food and nutrition policies to address obesity,” the website reads. “Increased representation in food policy research is critical for developing effective, equitable, comprehensive, and culturally competent policies that address nutrition-related health disparities.” Do No Harm Senior Fellow Mark Perry filed his Dec. 19 complaint with the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights on the basis that UNC’s program discriminated against non-BIPOC students. He claimed that the eligibility standard violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits race-based discrimination.
