On Thursday, trustee John Preyer read the following statement at a regularly scheduled trustees meeting:
“[In] May of 2024, a legal complaint was filed against the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, alleging violations of the North Carolina Open Meetings Act. The board disputes the lawsuit, but the lawsuit has been resolved. The board is committed to compliance with the North Carolina Open Meetings Act and will continue to meet in closed session only for the purpose enumerated in state law.”
According to a report in the The News&Observer, the reading of the above statement was a key stipulation in a now settled lawsuit. “ The issue at the center of the lawsuit, filed by Triangle attorney David McKenzie, stemmed from a special meeting the board held in May to discuss the university’s budget. During that special meeting, board Chair John Preyer suggested the board meet in closed session to discuss the finances of the athletics department,…”
In August, the Coalition reported on the existence of this lawsuit in a piece entitled Trustees Tried to Bully Bubba, But Got Called for a Foul. In that post we shared that we know of numerous instances where respected, veteran faculty members and administrators have been subjected to mistreatment by the trustees – in open session and behind closed doors. A number of good people have left. The turnover at the top has been tumultuous and damaging to Carolina.
We hope that this outcome will reduce the incidence of such bad behavior and encourage trustees to speak up if one or more of their number is out of line.
More from The News and Observer: https://amp.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article292700829.html
More from our August post: https://coalitionforcarolinafoundation.org/trustees-tried-to-bully-bubba-but-got-called-for-a-foul/