North Carolina Media Outlets Sue UNC Chapel Hill Over Withheld Report on School of Civic Life and Leadership
A coalition of North Carolina media organizations has filed a lawsuit against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) for withholding a report concerning its School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL). The report, a 400-page document costing $1.2 million, was prepared by the law firm K&L Gates with assistance from UNC law professor Michael Gerhardt. It investigates allegations related to the founding and governance of SCiLL, led by Dean Jed Atkins. Despite being funded by public money, UNC-CH has refused to release the report, citing confidentiality concerns related to personnel matters, attorney-client privilege, and the protection of interviewees. The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, argues that the report is a public record and its non-disclosure violates state public record laws. The plaintiffs, including The Daily Tar Heel and WRAL-TV, are seeking a court review of the report and the release of non-exempt portions.