UNC Strikes Settlement With Trump Administration To Keep Federal Funding

The University of North Carolina and the federal government announced a settlement on Monday, October 19, 2026, that closes 19 federal inquiries and preserves UNC's access to federal research funding.^[1]

Under the agreement, UNC will align its policies on admissions, diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and responses to perceived antisemitic conduct with standards set by the Trump administration.^[1] The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights will end 18 investigations and the Justice Department will drop a separate compliance review as part of the deal.^[1]

Federal scrutiny centered on UNC's race-conscious admissions policies, its diversity and inclusion programs, and how the university handled complaints of antisemitic conduct.^[1] The probes had raised the prospect that federal officials could restrict research funding, a pressure point the settlement removes while requiring policy changes.^[1]

The written agreement specifies that it will not be used to regulate academic speech or UNC curricula, even as it imposes compliance standards on admissions and campus programs.^[1]

1. New York Times