A longtime UNC Kenan-Flagler business professor who claimed he was pushed out in retaliation for speaking up about discrimination has lost his case in federal court. On Tuesday, U.S. Chief District Judge Catherine Eagles granted the University of North Carolina summary judgment, tossing the lawsuit and finding the evidence did not support claims of retaliation or race-based bias.
According to WBT, Judge Eagles’ order sided fully with the university in the suit brought by Larry Chavis, a non‑tenure‑track Kenan‑Flagler faculty member since 2006 who also served as director of UNC’s American Indian Center. Chavis went to court after his contract was not renewed for 2024, alleging that administrators secretly recorded his classes and that UNC retaliated after he publicly criticized their actions.
What the Judge Said
In her opinion, Judge Eagles wrote that “no reasonable jury could find that the defendants' actions were the result of retaliatory or discriminatory intent, in whole or in part,” and she granted UNC’s motion for summary judgment. The decision, as detailed by Carolina Journal, concludes that the university presented legitimate, non‑retaliatory reasons for deciding not to renew Chavis’ contract.
The Complaint and Case Background
Chavis filed his federal complaint in September 2024, asserting claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1981 and the First Amendment and naming UNC and the Board of Governors as defendants. The filing traces a long-running conflict inside Kenan‑Flagler, with Chavis alleging pay disparities, promotions that never materialized, and pressure to take on roles tied to his Native American heritage. The case, numbered 1:24‑cv‑00805, was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Inside Higher Ed has posted the full complaint document.
Classroom Recordings and Student Complaints
The court’s opinion notes that several graduating students raised “serious concerns” about Chavis’ undergraduate international development course, and evaluators later concluded that the class did not line up with its official catalog description. As part of a teaching review, two school officials recorded class sessions without telling Chavis, a move he later criticized publicly in spring 2024. WBT reports that these episodes figured prominently in the judge’s recounting of the dispute.
What This Ruling Means
By granting summary judgment, Judge Eagles found there was no genuine dispute of material fact for a jury to resolve, which typically ends a federal trial court case unless one side appeals. The opinion states that Kenan‑Flagler Dean Mary Margaret Frank relied on a written teaching‑evaluation report, which criticized the course’s content and organization and flagged student‑safety concerns, when she decided not to renew Chavis’ contract, according to Carolina Journal.
