(The Center Square) – Western Carolina University is under investigation for Title IX violations by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
The Cullowhee school, a member of the University of North Carolina System, faces accusations of failing to “ensure sex-separated intimate spaces in federally funded institutions of higher education,” a release from the Education Department says. It further says “credible reports” indicate Western let a male room with a female in a girls’ dormitory, and in another instance, the school investigated a female for asking a male to leave a female locker room.
Craig Trainer, acting assistant secretary for the Office of Civil Rights, said in the release, “WCU’s reported contempt for federal antidiscrimination laws and indifference to, and retaliation against, girls who have spoken up about males invading their intimate spaces is simply unacceptable. After fighting for years to secure Title IX protections, women must again fight hostile institutions to ensure their right to equal protection and opportunity in sports, living spaces, and intimate facilities is respected.
“The Trump-McMahon Department of Education will continue to deploy every lawful means to eradicate this wholly unnecessary and egregious violation of women and girls’ civil rights.”
In an email to The Center Square, the university through its communications office said, “Western Carolina University acknowledges that we have received a notice of investigation from the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. We believe that our campus policies and procedures are compliant with Title IX and all other federal and state laws. We will work with OCR to fully resolve this complaint.”
The Education Department’s link for “credible reporting” is to the outlet National Review, the 1955 creation of William F. Buckley Jr. and arguably among the most prominent of conservative national media organizations. It published a story Tuesday saying the school hasn’t updated Title IX policy since President Donald Trump took office and issued several executive orders; and it cited public records given to it by Speech First.
The story cites a Jan. 22 email from a compliance officer.
The incident involving the school initiating a probe against a female student for a locker room, or bathroom, incident is from 2024 and involves Payton McNabb. The Education Department says the investigation was dropped “but WCU continues to assert that it will not change its policies to comply with Title IX.”
The Center Square is seeking comment from the UNC System leadership through its media relations office.
