Petition Summary:

UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health is eliminating its Health Equity & Social Justice MPH concentration, a decision that undermines its stated commitment to tackling health disparities. This decision disregards the needs of marginalized communities and undermines Gillings' commitment toward public health. 

For months, we, the current students in the Health Equity concentration, have tried to engage in good faith—meeting with faculty, administrators, and our own cohort to address concerns. Instead of transparency, we have been ignored, excluded from meetings, and treated as though our concerns do not matter. Then, when the decision was made final, we were informed with complete disregard: a last-minute email from the Dean—sent while she was on vacation—just minutes before class.

This is not just about an MPH concentration. Health equity is not simply a degree track— it's a commitment to dismantling systemic injustice, uplifting marginalized communities, and shaping the future of public health through a lens of equity. It is the embodiment of our mission, passion, and life's work. If health equity is not prioritized, we risk perpetuating the very disparities we are fighting against. 

Eliminating this concentration is an attack on the very foundation of public health. We demand transparency, accountability, and the immediate reinstatement of the Health Equity concentration.

Why Health Equity Matters Now More Than Ever:

We are in a political era where health equity is under attack at every level. Across the country, there is a coordinated effort to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, suppress discussions about racial justice, and roll back decades of progress in health equity. Gillings’ decision aligns with this dangerous trend—whether they admit it or not.

Health disparities are growing. Black maternal mortality is rising. Trans health care is under siege. Rural and Indigenous communities continue to be neglected. The need for structured health equity training has never been greater. By cutting this concentration, Gillings is actively weakening the public health workforce at a time when marginalized communities need it most.

This fight is bigger than just one school. If we allow UNC Gillings—the #1 public school of public health—to quietly erase its commitment to health equity, we set a dangerous precedent. This is about who gets to shape the future of public health—will it be those who are deeply invested in justice, or those who prioritize convenience and political pressure over real change? 

If you believe in equitable health care, racial and social justice, and the well-being of communities, this is personal to you. Whether you work in public health or not, your voice is crucial—because when institutions turn their backs on equity, it is real people who bear the consequences. This is not just an issue for the few; it affects us all. Stand with us. Demand accountability, demand action, and let’s fight for a future where no one is left behind.

Health Equity Students:

They chose us for this concentration—brought us here to champion health equity, only to pull the rug out from under us when we spoke up for change. For months, we tried to fix this - we met with faculty, held student discussions, and worked to create solutions. But instead of partnership, we were met with dismissiveness, exclusion, and broken promises.

UNC Gillings uses health equity as a marketing tool but refuses to commit to it when it matters. They wanted our labor, our passion, and our credibility—until we started demanding real change. Now, they are gutting the very program they recruited us for, proving that their commitment to equity was nothing more than a talking point.

Our Proposals:

1. Reverse the decision to eliminate the Health Equity concentration.
2. Provide full transparency—Provide a clear and detailed explanation of the decision-making process, including the factors considered, the rationale for the final decision, and who was involved in making it.
3. Student Representation in Decision-Making Bodies – Create permanent student seats with voting power on all committees making decisions about curriculum changes, program structures, and institutional priorities.
4. Regular Open Forums with Leadership – Hold public forums where students, faculty, and staff can directly question leadership about major program changes. These must be held at accessible times, recorded, and made publicly available.
5. Publicly reaffirm UNC Gillings’ commitment to health equity, with a concrete plan to integrate it into curriculum and policy.
6. Ensure sustained institutional support for marginalized students—not just when it looks good in brochures.

How You Can Help:

• Sign this petition to show UNC that we will not let them quietly erase health equity.
• Share this widely—on social media, in student and alumni networks, and with journalists.
• Speak up—if you’re a faculty member, administrator, or public health leader, use your voice to support us.
• Please include your affiliation (e.g., student, faculty, alumni, public health professional) when signing to show the broad support for reinstating the Health Equity concentration.

Public health does not exist without health equity. Please help us reverse the decision to eliminate the Health Equity concentration