Nikole Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist, was denied tenure at the University of North Carolina, her alma mater, by its board of trustees, according to a report by NC Policy Watch.

The board’s decision sparked outrage online and from faculty and staff. Some have claimed the board’s decision resulted after pressure from conservatives, USA Today Reports.

An anonymous board member told NC Policy Watch that the university, board of trustees and the North Carolina legislature had been receiving letters and phone calls in support and opposition since Hannah-Jones’ hire was announced, the article continues.

Hannah-Jones founded the “1619 Project” which reframed the nation’s history surrounding slavery and its influence on democracy. The project garnered criticism from conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, according to USA Today. In September, Trump tweeted the Department of Education would pull funding from California schools that taught the 1619 Project.

Read the full story in USA Today.