The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can continue seeking federal funds under a civil rights settlement that ends 18 investigations and sets admissions and campus obligations through 2028.
The agreement announced Oct. 19 provides for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to close 18 investigations and the U.S. Department of Justice to end a separate compliance review. The inquiries will close without adverse findings, and UNC denies liability.
UNC remains eligible to compete for federal grants, contracts and awards while the government finds it compliant. The agreement requires no settlement payment, but the university must pay for resources needed by the administrator overseeing its obligations. Its terms run through Dec. 31, 2028.
The settlement follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against UNC’s race-conscious admissions system. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in federally funded programs. The agreement says the parties sought to avoid prolonged proceedings and the potential loss of federal support.
Under the settlement, UNC’s admissions policies cannot use race or substitutes for race. The university may weigh an applicant’s personal adversity or family background only without favoring a protected group. When applicants submit standardized test scores, UNC must use them in all admissions decisions, consistent with UNC System policy. Nondiscrimination requirements also cover scholarships and other student benefits.
The campus terms require antisemitism training for students, faculty and staff, along with procedures for complaints involving Jewish and Israeli students. UNC must also enforce a rule against face coverings worn to hide identity, subject to exceptions that include genuine, verifiable medical and religious needs.
The financial terms differ from two other university agreements. Columbia University’s 2025 federal resolution required $200 million to the government over three years. Brown University committed $50 million over 10 years to workforce development organizations in Rhode Island under its agreement.
UNC appointed Associate Vice Chancellor for University Compliance Elizabeth Hall to administer the agreement and serve as Title VI coordinator. UNC Chancellor Lee H. Roberts must certify the accuracy of its reports and the university’s compliance under penalty of perjury. The first report, covering discrimination and harassment allegations received from Oct. 7, 2023, through the agreement’s effective date, is due within 90 days of that date. Reports will follow quarterly.
