UNC Pembroke Names Kaye Patel Fraley General Counsel and Vice Chancellor

Kaye Patel Fraley has been appointed general counsel and vice chancellor for legal, audit, risk and compliance at UNC Pembroke, the university announced today.

Fraley has served as interim general counsel since September 2025. She joined UNC Pembroke in 2018 and has held several leadership roles within the university’s legal and compliance operations, including assistant general counsel, campus investigator, interim director of Title IX and Clery compliance, and associate general counsel and Clery compliance coordinator.

With nearly 20 years of legal experience, Fraley will serve as the university’s chief legal officer, advising the chancellor, Board of Trustees and senior leadership on legal, regulatory and compliance matters. She will oversee legal affairs and institutional compliance, including Clery reporting, enterprise risk management, internal audit coordination and athletic departmental compliance. She will also oversee faculty Visa status.

“Kaye brings deep institutional knowledge and legal experience in higher education to this role,” said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings, MD. “Her understanding of the UNC System and the regulatory environment in which we operate makes her uniquely qualified. She understands both the operational realities of our campus and the broader legal framework that shapes public higher education in North Carolina. As higher education continues to navigate a rapidly evolving legal landscape, her counsel will provide steady guidance and confidence for our university.”

As associate general counsel, Fraley has reviewed and negotiated university contracts, advised on employment and academic policy matters and supported compliance with state and federal regulations. As interim director of Title IX and Clery compliance, she oversaw institutional compliance with Title IX and the Clery Act, including policy development, training and reporting requirements. She has also served as an adjunct professor at UNCP, teaching business law courses.

Fraley chairs the Enterprise Risk Management Committee and serves on multiple campus committees, including the Emergency Operations Committee and Campus Safety Committee.

“During my time at UNCP, I have developed a deep appreciation for our students, faculty, staff and leadership, and for the vital role the university plays in our broader community,” Fraley said. “I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively across the institution to strengthen our legal and governance framework, enhance our compliance and risk management practices, and ensure we operate with integrity, transparency and accountability.”

Prior to joining UNC Pembroke, Fraley was in private practice in South Carolina, representing clients in a variety of legal matters, with a primary focus on Family Law.  She also previously served at the University of South Carolina School of Law’s Children’s Law Center, where she developed and delivered regional and statewide legal trainings on child welfare laws, related court procedures and conducted mandated reporter trainings. 

Fraley holds a Juris Doctor from Appalachian School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in political science from Francis Marion University. She also completed a family law practicum at Oxford University’s Brasenose College. She is licensed to practice in North Carolina and South Carolina state courts and in the United States District Courts.

Fraley and her husband, Kevin, live in Lumberton and have two daughters, Jiya and Ava.