UNC Chapel Hill Found to Be Violating Title IX Policy

The Department of Education has finally determined that UNC-Chapel Hill is in violation of Title IX anti-discrimination law, after a federal investigation that began in 2013.

On Monday, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights sent a letter announcing its decision to the former UNC students and administrator who filed the original complaint. “After carefully considering all of the information obtained during the investigation, OCR identified compliance concerns and a violation regarding the University’s compliance with Title IX, which the University agreed to resolve through the enclosed Resolution Agreement,” the letter read.

In response to the OCR’s decision, UNC has agreed to review and potentially revise its Title IX policy, to submit regular reports on the implementation of these revisions, and to be monitored by federal investigators who will ensure the university is abiding by the agreement.

Five years ago, four former students and a former administrator filed a federal complaint against UNC for mishandling numerous cases of sexual assault. They cited systematic hostility to victims who spoke up about assault, insufficient counseling for victims, and inadequate training for university staff.

Annie E. Clark and Andrea L. Pino were two of the five complainants, who went on to found an advocacy group called End Rape on Campus.