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North Carolina State University could not find evidence to back allegations of misconduct against Chadwick Seagraves, a technology support services staff member who was accused last month of being a member of the Proud Boys, a far-right hate group, according to a statement on Monday from Mick Kulikowski, a university spokesman.
N.C. State conducted a “thorough review” of any possible “malicious online activities” by Seagraves, the statement said. Seagraves was accused of being the owner of a Twitter account that identified itself as belonging to a leader of the Proud Boys and of interacting with an N.C. State student in 2019, who said Seagraves doxed him, or distributed the student’s personal information online in an attempt to encourage others to harass him. Seagraves has forcefully denied being a member of the Proud Boys and that he doxed the student.
The university’s review, which lasted about a month and a half and was supported by external investigators, “did not substantiate any significant allegations,” the statement said. The university review also addressed more recent claims that Seagraves was part of the riot that stormed the U.S. Capitol last week; law enforcement officials verified that he was not in Washington, D.C., at the time, the statement said.
“The university can only institute formal disciplinary action against a state employee when there is just cause to do so, such as for substantiated violations of the law or NC State policies,” the statement said.
The review could not find such a violation, and the university’s statement noted that some N.C. State students and faculty members will be disappointed with this outcome. About 2,100 students, faculty and staff members have signed a petition demanding Seagraves’s removal from the university.
“We understand that the accusations and related discussion have caused hurt and evoked a variety of emotions on and off campus,” the university statement said. “Although we acknowledge the outcome will not satisfy everyone, NC State stands in strong opposition to intolerance and hate, and remains dedicated to doing all we can to advance the university's core values of diversity, inclusion and equity for all.”
