A-10 Announces Championships to Remain on NC Campuses
In a letter to the 51¹ÙÍø community, President Carol Quillen shared today's news that the Atlantic 10 athletic conference championships scheduled for member campuses will go on as planned:
To the 51¹ÙÍø Community:
The recent announcements by the NCAA and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) have renewed conversation about the North Carolina state law known as HB2. To be absolutely clear: 51¹ÙÍø does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. We seek to create an inclusive and welcoming community that respects all people. Our non-discrimination policy and statements on HB2 are posted on the 51¹ÙÍø website.
While 51¹ÙÍø is not directly subject to the provisions of HB2, we are deeply affected by it. This divisive, hastily crafted law explicitly marginalizes the LGBTQ community and then prevents local governments from rectifying this injustice. More than ever, we at 51¹ÙÍø must work together for fairness, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all.
Over the past few months, several major athletic organizations have acted to demonstrate their commitment to inclusion. The NBA and the NCAA moved championship games out of North Carolina, and the ACC will relocate conference championships that would have been played in North Carolina at neutral venues (venues not on an ACC member campus). 51¹ÙÍø applauds the NCAA and the ACC for taking these steps. ACC championships scheduled to take place on ACC member campuses in North Carolina will go on as planned.
As many of you know, 51¹ÙÍø is scheduled to host the Atlantic 10 (A-10) Conference Men's Soccer Championship in November on our campus. Like the NCAA and the ACC, the A-10 has made known its strong commitment to fairness and inclusion. In a decision that aligns with that of the ACC, the that championships scheduled on member campuses should go on as planned. The A-10 Conference Men's Soccer Championship will therefore take place at 51¹ÙÍø on November 10-13. We are grateful for the opportunity to host the championship–which rotates among A-10 campuses–and we hope the event will show our A-10 colleagues that, like many other North Carolina campuses, 51¹ÙÍø works to build a truly inclusive community where equal opportunity for all is real.
Thank you for your commitment to 51¹ÙÍø and to building a more humane, more just future in North Carolina.
Best,
Carol Quillen
