Will Nikole Hannah Jones accept UNC's tenured faculty role?
EMBED >More News Videos Trustees at UNC-Chapel Hill voted 9-4 to approve tenure for investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- The ball is now in Nikole Hannah-Jones' court on whether she would like to join the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after a firestorm over her being granted tenure.Hannah-Jones released a statement Wednesday writing, "These last weeks have been very challenging and difficult and I need to take some time to process all that has occurred and determine what is the best way forward. "The Pulitzer-prize-winning journalist and alum will decide if she will take on the role as tenured faculty after a long-fought battle to get it.The delay in her tenure set off a national debate, and in the end, the majority of UNC-Chapel Hill's board of trustees approved her appointment in a 9-4 vote "She should take the time to really wrestle with that decision. That's the main question she will have to take for herself," UNC graduate Zachary Richardson advised on the matter.Richardson, a Native American student from eastern North Carolina, says for too long -- students of color at UNC have struggled to be seen as equal to their white counterparts. "It's been going on throughout my whole four years. Black students and marginalized students, in general, are not given the same opportunities," said Richardson. "A lot of times in my classes, I am the only Native American student and I feel like I'm disadvantaged. I'm not as competent. But I was here for a reason. I got accepted to UNC for a reason. "The university's Black Caucus of faculty and staff will be releasing a public statement on the matter Friday.After being at at the receiving end of fiery remarks from Black students, Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz released a statement that reads: