Trump Administration Settles with University of North Carolina Over Discrimination Allegations

The Trump administration has reached a settlement with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) to address allegations of antisemitism and racial discrimination. This agreement ends 18 active federal investigations and a separate Justice Department compliance review involving the university.

The settlement is voluntary and does not involve any monetary payment. UNC does not admit to any wrongdoing. The university remains eligible for federal funding, with the settlement in effect until the end of 2028.

Under the agreement, UNC will appoint an internal “Merit & Civil Rights Administrator” and establish a “Title VI Coordinator” to manage complaints about antisemitism and race-based discrimination. Elizabeth Hall, the associate vice chancellor for university compliance, will fill both roles alongside her current duties. Hall will serve as the liaison for the Justice Department and oversee UNC’s reporting responsibilities.

Chancellor Lee H. Roberts stated, “This announcement reinforces our commitment to the fair and equal treatment of everyone at Carolina.” He noted that issues faced by U.S. universities across different administrations have been resolved in a manner that protects the university’s mission and affirms community civil rights.

The agreement requires UNC to provide mandatory antisemitism training for students, faculty, and staff. Additionally, UNC will prohibit face masks used to conceal identity, except under certain circumstances. Student groups will face discipline for antisemitic conduct.

In the agreement, UNC commits to a “color-blind admissions system,” avoiding race-based alterations in its admissions process. However, personal adversity considerations are allowed, including family backgrounds like poverty, if applied consistently. Furthermore, race-blind policies will govern student benefits, scholarships, and programming.

UNC is required to send any antisemitism and race discrimination complaints to the Department of Justice and the Department of Education on a quarterly basis. As part of this settlement, the Office for Civil Rights of the Education Department will close 18 investigations, while the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will end its 18-month review.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon emphasized that all students deserve equal treatment under federal law. The Civil Rights Division praised UNC for its compliance, expressing hope that other institutions follow suit.

In 2023, the Supreme Court rejected affirmative action at universities, impacting race-based admissions at UNC and Harvard. The administration has conducted probes and threatened funding cuts concerning pro-Palestinian protests, diversity initiatives, and transgender policies.

Similar settlements have been made with other institutions, including Columbia University, which resolved federal probes with a $200 million settlement, and Brown University, agreeing to provide $50 million to workforce-development organizations in Rhode Island. Harvard remains under scrutiny without a current settlement.