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The University of Michigan is reviewing potential modifications to its diversity program, which is known for being a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. This review comes as critics raise concerns about the effectiveness of the current program and its influence on campus culture.
Written by Nicholas Confessore
The University of Michigan, known for its strong support of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in higher education, is considering making changes to its own program. This comes as colleges nationwide prepare for Donald J. Trump’s second presidency and potential challenges to these initiatives from Republicans in government and academia.
Members of the board in charge of the university mentioned that they anticipate the board will propose restrictions on diversity statements when making hiring and promotion decisions. Additionally, the board may consider reallocating a larger portion of Michigan’s D.E.I. budget towards recruitment initiatives and tuition assistance for students from lower-income backgrounds.
Michigan is considering changes that would make it one of the first selective public universities to review its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts internally rather than in response to legislative pressure. The board of regents, which is elected by state voters and mostly consists of Democrats, has a 6-2 majority and typically makes decisions through consensus. According to Michigan’s state constitution, the regents have the final say on the university’s finances and provide general supervision of the school.
The next meeting of the regents is scheduled for December 5th. However, recent conversations between the regents and other university officials have faced strong opposition on Michigan’s campus. Administrators in charge of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) have launched a campaign to address criticism of their efforts and protect their funding.
A large group of supporters for diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) came together on the Ann Arbor campus for a rally on Monday.
One of the speakers, junior Pragya Choudhary, mentioned that the audience likely does not believe the D.E.I. initiatives at the university are flawless. However, it is acknowledged that without these initiatives, the university would be in a worse state.
The discussions have highlighted a widespread lack of clarity on campus regarding the purpose of the D.E.I. program and the intentions of the regents. Some faculty and students have expressed concerns that the regents may completely stop funding the school’s D.E.I. initiatives, although this drastic measure does not seem to be on the table. There have also been criticisms of the regents for allegedly considering cutting the school’s Go Blue Guarantee, which covers full tuition for lower-income students from Michigan. However, the regents have stated that they actually plan to enhance this program.
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