Author: Gabbi Heath

ECU No Longer Requiring “DEI” Courses for Graduation
Many East Carolina University students are upset that DEI courses, or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion courses, are no longer a graduation requirement.
According to the ECU course catalog, 374 courses offered in the Fall 2025 term fall under this category. The Office of the Chancellor announced that the UNC System suspended all general education and major requirements for classes that are believed to meet DEI standards. The announcement came after the Trump administration threatened to revoke the federal funding of universities that did not comply. As a result, ECU determined that these courses would no longer be required for graduation. The new guidelines have had an effect on many academic programs, including the School of Communication.
School of Communication Director Dr. Laura Prividera said that lifting the requirement of DEI courses impacted a “diversity pod” of required courses in the Interpersonal and Organizational Communication concentration, as well as the Public Relations and Media Studies concentrations. “Those courses are still available, but students can choose from a variety of electives,” Prividera explained.
Previously, School of Communication majors were required to take at least one course that fell into the DEI category. These courses included Gender and Communication, Intercultural Communication; and Race, Ethnicity, and Media.
The purpose of DEI courses is to teach students about issues surrounding discrimination and bias, as well as help them gain a better understanding of different cultures, races and ethnicities, as well as gender. The courses expand on inequalities of various minority groups as well as teach students how to effectively communicate with these groups. One goal of the courses is to teach students to become more inclusive in their professional and personal lives.
Although classes that fall under the “DEI” category are no longer required for graduation, some still see the classes as beneficial and do not agree with the UNC System suspension.
Grace Cedeno, a 2024 ECU graduate who studied communication and sociology said she took a number of DEI classes and gained a lot from taking them. “I think it’s a shame students are no longer required to take these courses,” Cedeno said. “I myself benefited by them and felt that they strengthened both my curriculum and post-graduation experience.”
Aside from taking Gender and Communication, a course that was previously part of the required diversity pod for communication majors, Cedeno also took Race, Gender, and Class for her sociology major, another class that falls under the DEI rules. “Through these classes I gained a deeper understanding of the world and people around me,” Cedeno said. “[They] allowed my eyes to open to the experiences of people who might come from different backgrounds than I do.”
Brynn Knight, a senior communication major concentrating in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication, also took Gender and Communication last fall. “I needed another credit and thought it would be interesting and different from other courses I had taken,” Knight said.
Knight said despite the university’s decision to no longer require these courses, students should take them. “I think it’s beneficial for these courses to be required,” Knight said. “I also think in life you are going to have to be aware of topics presented in DEI classes, so I do not understand not wanting to take them.”
These courses are not only important to students, but instructors and professors also find the courses valuable. Dr. Adrienne Muldrow, a communication professor at ECU, teaches Race, Ethnicity, and Media. “I love these courses because they allow students to grow,” Muldrow said. “They can bring their own cultural heritage because we all have culture.”
Muldrow not only enjoys teaching the course, but also hopes that students walk out with knowledge about different cultures to help them in the future. “Eventually, you will probably hit somebody’s culture in a workplace and then not know how to manage that or talk to them,” Muldrow said. “It alleviates the making of mistakes that belittle people, even though you didn’t mean to.”
As of Feb. 6, students who were enrolled in a class that fell under the prior diversity requirement were given the option to drop the class, as it was no longer a graduation requirement. Students who had yet to take a DEI class are no longer required to take a course that falls into this category. “If a student was missing that class, now they do not have to worry about it as long as they have their credits,” Prividera said.
Dr. Eric Shouse, the Faculty Senate representative for the School of Communication, said that though these courses are no longer required, only 21 students across the university dropped what was considered a DEI course following the Feb 6 announcement. “I think the majority of people are happy to take [the classes],” Shouse said.
Though these classes are no longer required for students, they will still be available for students to take. “Overall, those courses are available to communication students–majors and minors. It’s just up to them which of those courses they may choose to take for their profession and career development,” Prividera said.
While the targeted classes were previously a part of a School of Communication diversity pod, they are now a part of a general elective pod. However, if a class doesn’t attract enough students in the absence of the requirement, it is generally not offered.
April 28, 2025
NC Shelters Overcrowded: Dogs Being Killed at High Rates
Numerous animal shelters across North Carolina are facing severe overcrowding issues with dogs, which has led to skyrocketing euthanasia levels across the Tar Heel state. Though many animal rescue nonprofit organizations work diligently to raise awareness of this issue, too many dogs need shelter, but there isn’t enough shelter space to hold them.
Graphic made by Gabbi Heath through Canva
According to the 2023 Public Animal Shelter Report by the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 8,843 dogs were euthanized across the 10 leading counties in the state for euthanization of dogs. Twenty percent of these took place in Robeson County, the leading county for euthanization in the state. 2024 data has not yet been released.
Located about a 90 minute drive south of Raleigh, Robeson County is a rural area with overcrowded public shelters as well as high euthanasia rates. In 2023, Robeson County Animal Protective Services took in 3,543 dogs according to the state report. Of those, 1,770 were euthanized, according to the same report.
Kate Waller, who lives in a neighboring county to Robeson, belongs to a humane animal trapping and recovery organization where she helps to rescue strays in hopes of finding them a home. When she moved from Virginia to North Carolina, she couldn’t believe what she saw.
“I was totally shocked when I moved here at the disregard for animals,” Waller said. “I’m not saying [Virginia] is perfect and there’s no room for improvement for animal welfare but [North Carolina] is a completely different ballgame.” And in regards to a lack of care for animals, Robeson County was unlike anything she had seen before. “Robeson County is an entirely different planet.”
Increasing euthanasia rates across the state could partially be due to changed lifestyles in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the 2020 Public Animal Shelter Report, 1,212 dogs were euthanized across Robeson County in 2020, yet, shelters in the county saw an approximate 46% increase years after the pandemic.
“Many people adopted animals when in-person roles switched to work from home,” Waller said. “When people had to go back into offices they realized they didn’t have time for a dog.” Waller said as a result, shelters have struggled to keep up with the intake.
Waller said she has rescued over a dozen animals in her lifetime, many of which have been strays. She has also contributed to their food as well as paid vet bills out of her own pocket. Though she has played a crucial role in helping find these animals a home, the crisis has lingered. Shelters are still overcrowded and many of these dogs have nowhere to go.
Many shelters are to the point where they are having to turn away dogs simply because of the lack of space. Waller, who found one stray dog through a humane trap, tried taking the dog to the shelter but was told it was not accepting strays. “They didn’t even offer to scan him for a microchip until I told them to.” Waller said that the shelter often tells her to just leave the dog where she found it when calling about strays. “It is absolute insanity how normalized animal abuse and disregard is, especially in Robeson County.”
The Robeson County shelter did not respond to several requests for comment.
Many factors play a role in shelter decisions about which dogs are going to be put down. The factors vary depending on the shelter’s capacity and can include anything from illness to history of aggression. “Illness definitely [plays a factor],” Waller said. “I would say age only because younger dogs are considered more adoptable to the public.”
Waller is currently fostering a dog from Cumberland County, which has the state’s 10th highest euthanization rate. The shelter originally planned to euthanize the dog due to its heartworm disease if it wasn’t fostered before the end of the stray hold.
Many rural counties lack pet laws, which contribute to the overcrowding and euthanization rates. Currently, many rural areas in the state have no laws against how many dogs a person can own, as long as the dog has food, water and some sort of shelter, and whether that shelter is indoor or outdoors does not matter. Ashley Nichols, who works with the nonprofit organization “Black Dog Club” in Johnston County, is concerned over the lack of laws in regards to pets.
“The animal laws in the state of North Carolina are complete crap,” Nichols said. “My next door neighbor could have eight dogs that are all tethered and as long as they have a doghouse and a bowl of water and food, it’s legal.” Such practices can lead to low human interaction and lack of socialization, which in turn can lead to aggressiveness.
“Unfortunately for those dogs, if they are deemed aggressive with humans or other animals, those are a lot of the dogs you see euthanized first because they are deemed unsafe,” Nichols said.
North Carolina also has no laws requiring the spaying and neutering of animals, which also contributes to overcrowded shelters and high euthanization rates. “There are no spay or neuter laws in North Carolina, so you can have what we call a backyard breeder,” Nichols said. “You can have nine dogs in a yard that aren’t spayed or neutered, and they keep having puppies over and over and there is no law against that.”
Nichols said she works closely with Chuck Lively, the Johnston County Animal Shelter supervisor, to help decrease the overcrowding and euthanization rates there. Nichols said she is a rescue puller, or a person who works with the shelter to help rehome dogs when the shelter gets tight in space. “Chuck will reach out to us and let us know [he’s getting tight on space] and we will actually go to the shelter to save them from being euthanized.”
Nichols says that Lively has been a big help in animal rescue missions. “Chuck has gone above and beyond,” Nichols said. “He works with a lot of different rescues in state and out of state to help with getting dogs out of the shelter and give rescues a chance.”
According to the 2023 Public Animal Shelter Report, Johnston County took in 1,695 dogs, and of those, 739 were euthanized. Lively said that all shelters are facing overcrowding. “The concerns are they [dogs] are not moving out anywhere near the rate they are moving in,” he explained.
Lively said he tries to address these concerns by being more selective about the dogs taken in, but adoptions are still very low. In addition to working with Nichols, Lively also works with SPCA organizations in Wake County to reduce his shelter’s euthanizations but says the number of those groups that have pulled from his shelter has gone down.
Rachael Champlin, another Johnston County resident, said she is aware of the concern and has adopted rescue dogs. “Adoption is far better because you’re giving an animal in need a forever home,” she said, adding that she wishes she could adopt more. “It breaks my heart when people get dogs for holidays and three months later they are back in the shelter.”
Lydia (left) and Dobby (right) napping together
Photo contributed by Racbael Champlin
Maria Gambler, who lives in Columbus County, adopted a dog in December. According to the 2023 Public Animal Shelter Report, Columbus County was the fourth highest county for dog euthanization across the state. “I believe many people don’t fully understand the responsibility that comes with having a pet, and it’s heartbreaking that some get pets without knowing how to take proper care of them,” Gambler said.
Orin, a Labrador mix enjoying their new home
Photo contributed by Maria Gambler
The ongoing issue with overcrowded shelters is also partially due to the high adoption fees. In North Carolina, adoption fees can vary from $30 to $400, depending on the location, and vary depending on the need for vaccinations, microchipping, spay and neutering. This doesn’t even begin to include the expenses needed to take care of a dog after the adoption process. This is why Columbus County resident Simona Fritz could not afford to adopt a dog, even though she wanted to. “I have tried adopting, but $350 and up is just too much for an average family to afford, which leads to overcrowding.” Fritz says the fee isn’t necessarily unreasonable due to the cost of feeding and caring for the animals in shelters, but the cost could worsen the overcrowding problem.
Though many factors come into play in overcrowded shelters and the high euthasia rates across the state, the lack of spay and neuter laws seems to be the main concern among those who work in shelters or the animal rescue community.
“If there were more spay and neuter laws and it was enforced, I don’t feel our shelters would be nearly as crowded as they are,” Nichols said. Lively added that North Carolina would not have such high rates if people would spay and neuter their dogs.
April 24, 2025
Potential Cuts to Federal Funding Threatens ECU Research
ECU faculty researchers are facing uncertainty over federal research grants and loans, which pay for their ongoing research.
The concern was raised amid the White House budget office decision to freeze all federal grants and loans on Jan 27 under the Trump Administration. Though there is still uncertainty concerning the freeze and its potential implications, federally funded research is expected to be impacted. The potential freeze could interrupt or end research projects conducted by colleges and universities.
On Jan. 28, East Carolina University’s Office of Research and Administration sent a mass email to the campus research community regarding the freeze. The email stated the freeze would have a large effect on research at the university and there are changes taking place.
Dr. Joseph Houmard, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology, received a federal grant from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services for research at ECU’s Diabetes and Obesity Institute. Houmard said that the research is important because it can help to improve overall health.
“In several ways [research] is important in terms of educating students, and they are all involved in my research for people in exercise physiology programs,” Houmard said. “We study obesity and exercise, and our goal is to always try to improve human health and find out why exercise is effective.” Houmard said that he hopes the institute’s research findings are effective in doing that.
According to an article published by WITN Newa, In September 2024, ECU was awarded over $930,000 in federal grants for research purposes. Due to the uncertainty of the White House freeze, the future of these projects is still unclear.
Dr. Archana Hedge, a professor in the College of Health and Human Performance, has also received research grants. Conducting research at ECU is highly significant due to ECU’S recent designation as a Research 1 university. R1 universities require extensive research requirements to be considered for this designation. Hedge said quality research allows the university to receive more recognition. “Good and high-quality research brings good reputation and visibility for the university,” Hedge said. “ECU’s motto is to be future focused and hold a strong national reputation, and research fulfills all those requirements.”
Soon before the order was set to go into effect, Federal U.S District Judge Loren L. Alikhan blocked the freeze due to the confusion surrounding President Trump’s order. The block was extended on Feb. 4. However, if the freeze is allowed to go into effect, many programs receiving federal funding will be widely impacted. The U.S Office of Management and Budget released a statement stating that programs that directly benefit Americans would not be included in the freeze, including Social Security, Medicare, SNAP, as well as Pell Grants and rental assistance.
The freeze not only could have an impact on the research itself but could also impact those involved in the research. “A lot of people are hired to help [with research] because they are big projects,” Houmard said. “I have students and faculty getting their salary from these grants and I’m more concerned about people feeding their families.”
If the federal funding freeze is restored, it is unclear how federally funded research plans will continue, though it is possible that “researchers can seek funding from private foundations,” Hedge said. “Especially if the research priorities of private foundations are in sync with researchers’ ongoing research and its objectives.”
ECU’s Office of Research and Administration is continuing to monitor the freeze as well as providing continuous updates regarding the potential pause of federal loans and grants. Despite the potential freeze, the Office of Research advises researchers to continue with their research as well as continue developing research proposals.
February 17, 2025