UNC Chapel Hill settles 18 federal probes with Trump administration

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will close 18 federal probes into alleged race discrimination and antisemitism under a voluntary settlement with the Trump administration. The agreement, released by both parties, does not call for a monetary payment and remains in effect until the end of 2028. UNC did not admit to any wrongdoing or liability, and the deal preserves its eligibility for federal funding.

Under the terms, the university will appoint an internal administrator and create a coordinator position in its compliance office to handle discrimination matters, including antisemitism. UNC said Elizabeth Hall, associate vice chancellor for university compliance, will fill both roles and serve as the point of contact for the Justice Department while overseeing the school's reporting obligations. The agreement also mandates antisemitism training for students, faculty and staff, bars face masks or coverings that conceal identity during protests and states that student groups will face discipline for antisemitic discriminatory conduct.

The settlement requires UNC to adopt and maintain what it describes as non-discriminatory admissions policies and to avoid using any racial proxy. It does not stop the university from weighing how applicants overcame adversity at a personal level, and it may consider family background factors such as poverty if those considerations are applied consistently. On a quarterly basis, UNC must send any antisemitism and race discrimination complaints it receives to the US Justice and Education departments.

The deal is part of a broader push in which President Donald Trump has targeted universities with probes and threats to suspend funding over pro-Palestinian protests against Israel's assault on Gaza, diversity initiatives, transgender policies and climate programs. Those actions have raised concerns about free speech, due process and academic freedom. Trump has alleged that pro-Palestinian protesters are antisemitic and support extremism, while protesters, including some Jewish groups, say opposing Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and its assault on Gaza is not antisemitic and that advocacy for Palestinian rights does not imply support for extremism.

A former Justice Department attorney said in a whistleblower complaint in August that the administration's probes of universities over antisemitism accusations lacked evidence and had predetermined outcomes. The settlement follows a 2023 Supreme Court decision that rejected affirmative action at colleges when it struck down race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and UNC. The government has also settled with other schools: Columbia University agreed last year to pay more than $200 million to resolve probes, and Brown University said it would pay $50 million to support local workforce development. Harvard has yet to reach a deal.