UNC Cans DEI Dean Over Undercover Video: ‘I Love Breaking Rules’

University of North Carolina Asheville parted ways with administrator Megan Pugh after video surfaced of the now-former Dean of Students bragging about her plans to use her position to promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) despite it being banned.

Corey DeAngelis shared the story in a thread posted to X on Tuesday, beginning with video obtained by an undercover journalist – working with Accuracy In Media —who spoke with Pugh and recorded her in her office.

“Undercover journalists caught an administrator at UNC Asheville bragging about pushing DEI despite it being banned. She said, ‘I LOVE BREAKING RULES,'” DeAngelis began.

BREAKING: Undercover journalists caught an administrator at UNC Asheville bragging about pushing DEI despite it being banned.

She said, “I LOVE BREAKING RULES”

She also did a moment of silence “to honor those lost to White Supremacist Violence”

I have the videos
Buckle up 👇🧵

— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) June 3, 2025

In the video that followed, Pugh revealed to an undercover journalist that she was still doing “equity work” despite official policies banning it — and that she loved “breaking rules.”

The pro-DEI administrator says they “gotta keep it quiet” when it comes to their equity work.

She says, “I LOVE BREAKING RULES.” pic.twitter.com/NP7Gh0W9P7

— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) June 3, 2025

Pugh said that she planned to continue pushing DEI “until they get mad at us.”

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The discussion turned to “implicit bias training,” and Pugh admitted, “The sort of guidance from the system office has been very specific about implicit bias training in a way that I don’t enjoy” — but she said that she intended to find a way to “incorporate” it in spite of that guidance.

The pro-DEI administrator says the university would be interested in implicit bias training.

She acknowledges guidance against implicit bias training but says “my intention is that we can still incorporate” it anyway. pic.twitter.com/Q6BhQa7ttK

— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) June 3, 2025

DeAngelis followed that with an older video of Pugh beginning a video meeting with a moment of silence “to honor those lost to White Supremacist Violence” and a description of herself, written by Pugh, that read, “I center the teachings of Black, queer, feminist scholars as well as other BIPOC thought leaders in my leadership, advocacy, and student engagement practices.”

A report from Fox News Digital revealed that Pugh was “no longer employed by the university” following the video’s release.

Fox News found out that after “a prompt review of the matter” the “individual is NO LONGER EMPLOYED by the university.” pic.twitter.com/SNwD7iJOzU

— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) June 3, 2025

DeAngelis followed up with the university and got confirmation on Pugh’s termination.

BREAKING: The university’s communications director responded to my email:

“UNC Asheville takes these comments seriously. Following a prompt review of the matter, the individual is no longer employed by the University.” pic.twitter.com/t2AY0BxDFK

— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) June 3, 2025

“The remarks do not represent the practices on UNC Asheville,” the statement read. “The University remains firmly committed to all UNC System policies as well as federal and state laws, both in principle and practice. UNC Asheville takes these comments seriously. Following a prompt review of the matter, the individual is no longer employed by the University.”