CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill must pay $25,000 and its trustees must affirm a commitment to comply with the state's open meetings laws as part of a settlement that dismissed a lawsuit over the board's handling of sports discussions.
David McKenzie, a Wake County attorney, had filed a complaint in May in Orange County Superior Court accusing trustees of violating open meeting laws in previous discussions in closed sessions related to athletics budgets. The complaint came as UNC trustees weighed in on athletics to highlight growing national tensions with schools jumping from league to league in search of more money tied to television deals in a football-driven market.
McKenzie told WRAL in Raleigh he was “satisfied” with the settlement, which saw him agree to dismiss the lawsuit and have the university pay $25,000 to cover McKenzie's legal fees and costs.
“If they're going to take public money, they have to do things in public,” McKenzie told The News & Observer of Raleigh. “And in cases where they don't, they may have to pay attorney fees.”
McKenzie’s original complaint came when trustees indicated they would discuss UNC’s athletics budget in closed session at an upcoming meeting, as well as referencing closed-session discussions on athletics matters in November. That came amid comments questioning the financial outlook under the leadership of athletics director Bubba Cunningham, though UNC interim chancellor Lee Roberts publicly backed Cunningham in a public backlash against the trustees.
A judge granted multiple temporary restraining orders against UNC administrators ahead of a closed-door session for athletic financial discussions that could include a future conference alignment.
