Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!

ACLU, NAACP Urge UNH to Pick a New President with 'Record of Fostering Diversity'

UNH

Local chapters of the ACLU and the NAACP are asking the University of New Hampshire to emphasize issues of racial diversity and equity in the search for the university’s next president.

In an open letter to the presidential search committee, Devon Chaffee of the New Hampshire ACLU and Rogers Johnson of the Seacoast NAACP say the hiring of a new UNH president is the single greatest way to redirect the university.

They are urging the committee to use that opportunity to hire someone who will “foster a more socially conscious and inclusive campus.”

A string of racially charged incidents at UNH last school year led to renewed criticism of the university for how it handles issues of racial diversity and inclusion.

In recent months UNH has held a number of on-campus events and trainings designed to address these issues.

Current UNH President Mark Huddleston announced earlier this year he would be stepping down after 10 years at the helm.

The full letter is below.

Jason Moon is a senior reporter and producer on the Document team. He has created longform narrative podcast series on topics ranging from unsolved murders, to presidential elections, to secret lists of police officers.
Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.