UNC and Trump administration education deal
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
UNC-Chapel Hill settled 19 federal inquiries over antisemitism and race in admissions, paying no fine and admitting no wrongdoing.
The deal keeps research funding flowing and commits the school to race-blind policies through 2028.
Background
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public university that was facing 18 Education Department Office for Civil Rights investigations and a Justice Department compliance review. After President Trump returned to office, his administration moved to freeze or terminate federal research funding and opened investigations into universities over allegations they kept considering race in admissions through diversity programs after the Supreme Court barred the practice, and over pro-Palestinian protests, diversity initiatives, transgender policies and climate programs. UNC is the latest of a handful of elite universities to reach settlements over similar allegations, though its agreement carries markedly lighter penalties.
How it unfolded
- Apr 18, 2025The Justice Department began a compliance review of UNC.
- Aug 2026A former Justice Department attorney said in a whistleblower complaint that the administration's probes of universities over anti-Semitism accusations lacked evidence and had predetermined outcomes.
- Oct 19, 2026UNC-Chapel Hill and the federal government announced a settlement closing 19 federal inquiries; UNC pays no financial penalty and admits no wrongdoing.
- Oct 19, 2026The agreement, effective until the end of 2028, preserves UNC's eligibility for federal research funding. UNC agreed not to use or analyze racial data in admissions, to adopt race-blind policies for scholarships and student benefits, to provide mandatory antisemitism training, to hire a Title VI Coordinator and a Merit and Civil Rights Administrator, and to send quarterly reports to DOJ and Education.
- Oct 19, 2026UNC said Elizabeth Hall, associate vice chancellor for university compliance, was appointed to serve as both Merit & Civil Rights Administrator and Title VI Coordinator in addition to her existing duties. Some investigations will be held in abeyance, requiring quarterly compliance reports until they are closed.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- UNC chancellor Lee H. Roberts said the settlement reinforces the school's commitment to fair and equal treatment and is a responsible path forward that protects its mission.
- Official
- Justice Department civil rights division head Harmeet Dhillon said policies that tolerate antisemitism or favor certain racial groups frustrate a color-blind justice system, and hoped other institutions would take note.
- Analysts
- Former UNC chancellor Holden Thorp called it a really good deal compared with settlements at Columbia, Brown and other schools, noting there is no fine and most terms the school likely would have had to adopt anyway.
- Caution
- Protesters, including some Jewish groups, said opposing Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and its assault on Gaza is not anti-Semitic and does not imply support for extremism.
Still unverified
A former Justice Department attorney claimed in an August whistleblower complaint that the administration's probes of universities over anti-Semitism accusations lacked evidence and had predetermined outcomes.