UNC seeks legal counsel over HB2

Published May 12, 2016

[caption id="attachment_19634" align="alignleft" width="150"]Graphic by WRAL Graphic by WRAL[/caption]

by Elaina Athans and Angelica Alvarez, abc11.com, May 11, 2016.

The UNC Board of Governors met behind closed doors Tuesday to discuss the lawsuit the U.S. Department of Justice filed against the educational institution. $1.4 billion in federal funding could be taken away from the university.

The Board announced afterward that it would take no definitive action but would seek legal counsel.

"What we seek, above all, is an answer," said UNC System President Margaret Spellings at a news conference after the meeting.

Board members came in Tuesday for a special meeting. A legal briefing was the only item on the agenda.

Specifics of the meeting could not be shared publicly but Zachary King, President of UNC Association of Students did describe the tone as productive.

"I spoke very passionately as the first LGBT student member to the board," King said. "I said to the board, you know, I think of this as an anti-safety bill."

Live Q&A: Join ABC11 Wednesday at 1 p.m. for a live Q&A on HB2 with UNC law professor Maxine Eichner

King said he's received many emails from students concerned for their safety, especially from a friend who is transgender.

"He has a beard, is muscular and for him to be, sorry if I'm getting emotional, but if he was forced to go into a female restroom assigned with his biological sex, he's very well able to be maced," King said.

"The purpose of today's Board meeting was to consult with our attorneys concerning the pending litigation involving the Department of Justice," UNC Board of Governors Chairman Lou Bissette said. "We support all the actions President Spellings has taken thus far in leading the University and responding to HB2. The Board appreciates and values her ongoing leadership. As she said yesterday, the University is in a difficult position-caught in the middle between state and federal law."

"If you're a citizen and you have state law and a federal law and you don't know which one is controlling at a certain point and time it's very frustrating," Bissette continued.

The school system is trying to abide by state law while not running afoul of federal law.

LEGAL BATTLE OVER HB2 COULD LAST MONTHS, EVEN YEARS

"We are committed to resolving the legal issues in the University's favor as quickly as possible," Bissette said. "In the meantime, we are going to continue to focus on our primary mission of educating students."

Spellings said the next step for the board is to seek legal counsel for the DOJ lawsuit.

"The University of North Carolina is about providing high-quality educational opportunities to all," Spellings said. "We depend on federal funding to help provide this access. In fact, more than 138,000 of our students-representing all 100 North Carolina counties and all UNC institutions-receive some type of federal aid. Because of this, we take the legal questions surrounding HB2 and the related lawsuits seriously."

Students who rely on Pell grants and federal scholarships could be affected by the legal battle. The university tells ABC11 about $350 million is set aside to provide financial assistance.

http://abc11.com/politics/unc-board-next-step-is-to-seek-legal-counsel/1332167/