The Trump administration reached a settlement with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that will close 18 active federal investigations and a separate Justice Department compliance review involving alleged antisemitism and race discrimination at the university.
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that → reach → university
The voluntary settlement agreement does not require a monetary payment, and the university does not admit to any wrongdoing or liability.
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university → require → wrongdoing
The deal, which will remain effective until the end of 2028, allows UNC to maintain its eligibility for federal funding.
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UNC → remain → funding
Under the agreement, UNC will appoint an internal "Merit & Civil Rights Administrator" and establish a "Title VI Coordinator" position in its compliance office to address complaints about antisemitism and race-based discrimination.
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UNC → appoint → antisemitism
The university said Elizabeth Hall, associate vice chancellor for university compliance, was appointed to serve in both roles in addition to her existing duties.
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Hall → say → duties
She will be the point of contact for the Justice Department and oversee UNC's reporting obligations.
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She → oversee → obligations
"This announcement reinforces our commitment to the fair and equal treatment of everyone at Carolina," UNC Chancellor Lee H. Roberts said in a statement.
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Roberts → reinforce → statement
"For at least a decade, through different presidential administrations, U.S. universities have faced heightened public scrutiny across a range of issues.
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universities → face → issues
We’re proud to resolve those issues at Carolina in a way that protects our mission and affirms the civil rights of everyone in our community.
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that → ’re → community
The agreement also requires UNC to provide mandatory antisemitism training to students, faculty and staff.
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agreement → require → students
UNC will also prohibit face masks used to conceal an individual's identity, subject to certain exceptions, as part of the deal, which said student groups "shall be subject to discipline for antisemitic discriminatory conduct."
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groups → prohibit → conduct
President Donald Trump and administration officials have accused pro-Palestinian protesters of antisemitism.
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Trump → accuse → antisemitism
But protesters, including some Jewish groups, contend that opposing Israel's military offensive in Gaza is not antisemitic and that support for Palestinian rights does not indicate support for extremism.
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support → include → extremism
The settlement agreement also said UNC will adopt what the Justice Department called a "color-blind admissions system," barring the university from using race or altering its admissions process to change the racial composition of its student body.
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Department → say → body
However, it does not prevent UNC from considering how applicants overcame adversity at a personal level, and the university may consider aspects of family background, such as poverty, if those considerations are applied consistently.
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considerations → prevent → poverty
UNC must also maintain race-blind policies governing student benefits, scholarships, financial aid and programming, according to the agreement.
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UNC → maintain → agreement
The administration has argued that policies favoring certain racial groups over others violate federal anti-discrimination law.
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policies → argue → law
The deal said UNC will send any antisemitism and race discrimination complaints it has received to the DOJ and the Department of Education on a quarterly basis.
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it → say → basis
As part of the agreement, the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights will close 18 active investigations into UNC, while the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division will close a separate 18-month compliance review opened in April 2025.
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Division → close → April
"Title VI requires that all students — regardless of their ancestry or race — receive equal treatment under the law at federally funded colleges and universities," Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said in a statement.
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Dhillon → require → statement
"Higher ed policies and practices that tolerate antisemitism or favor certain racial groups over others, frustrate our color-blind justice system.
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that → tolerate → system
The Civil Rights Division commends UNC for its cooperation in meeting its obligations under federal law without the need for litigation; we hope other institutions will take note and do the same," she added.
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she → commend → same
In 2023, the Supreme Court rejected affirmative action at colleges as it struck down race-based admissions programs at UNC and Harvard.
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it → reject → UNC
The administration has targeted universities across the country with probes and threats to pull federal funding in response to pro-Palestinian protests on campus, diversity initiatives and transgender policies.
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administration → target → campus
The federal government has also settled with some other schools, including Columbia University, which last year agreed to pay more than $200 million to resolve federal probes, and Brown University, which agreed to provide $50 million over 10 years to Rhode Island workforce-development organizations as part of its settlement.
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which → settle → settlement
Harvard, which has been a primary target of the administration's threats, has not yet made a deal.
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which → make → deal
Reuters contributed to this report.
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Reuters → contribute → report
The Aporia
