Update (June 23, 2021): Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones has informed the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that she will not join its faculty next month unless she is offered a position with tenure. Hannah-Jones shared the notice with the university in a letter from her lawyers, according to reports from the New York Times.

Hannah-Jones agreed to a five-year contract with the university as the Knight Chair in the Race and Investigative Journalism department at the university's Hussman School of Journalism and Media. But she and her legal advisors switched course when it was revealed she would not be receiving tenure as reported by NC Policy Watch.

“Since signing the fixed-term contract, Ms. Hannah-Jones has come to learn that political interference and influence from a powerful donor contributed to the Board of Trustees’ failure to consider her tenure application,” they wrote. “In light of this information, Ms. Hannah-Jones cannot trust that the University would consider her tenure application in good faith during the period of the fixed-term contract.

“Such good faith consideration for tenure was understood to be an essential element of the fixed-term contract when Ms. Hannah-Jones agreed to enter into it. In light of the information which has come to her attention since that time, she cannot begin employment with the University without the protection and security of tenure,” the letter continued.

The letter stated that Hannah-Jones has not withdrawn her application for tenure, but she was offered "inferior terms of employment" because of discriminatory practices and "unlawful political influence.”

“Under these circumstances, any appointment of Ms. Hannah-Jones without tenure is unacceptable,” the letter read.

In response to Hannah-Jones’ letter, Joel Curran, UNC-Chapel Hill vice chancellor of communications, released an official statement, CNN reported.

"The University has been contacted by attorneys representing Nikole Hannah-Jones. While this remains a confidential personnel matter, as Chancellor Guskiewicz has said publicly, we feel she will add great value to the Carolina campus." the statement read.

As Blavity previously reported, Hannah-Jone gave the university 48 hours to reconsider its decision of denying her tenure or face legal action from her attorneys.

According to Hannah Jones, “she was repeatedly told by UNC orally and in writing that her hiring process would include a vote on her tenure package by the UNC Board of Trustees.”

She later mentioned in the letter that she completed all the prerequisites for the tenure process which included numerous meetings with faculty and teaching a class to students as an evaluation.

Original (June 2, 2021): The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Trustees has been given until Friday to reconsider its decision of denying tenure to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones before facing litigation from her legal team.

Amid controversy involving a major donor to the university, the board said it needed more time to discuss the matter, Inside Higher Ed reported.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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