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The University of Michigan is contemplating making changes to its diversity program, which has been a major advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) in higher education. Critics are questioning the effectiveness of the 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, is considering making changes to its program in response to the upcoming second term of President Donald J. Trump and potential challenges to these initiatives from Republicans in both government and academia.
Members of the board of regents at the university expressed their intention to propose restrictions on the use of diversity statements in the hiring and promotion process. Additionally, they are considering reallocating a portion of the university’s D.E.I. budget towards initiatives aimed at recruiting lower-income students and providing tuition guarantees for them.
Michigan is considering changes that would position it as one of the leading public universities to review and improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) practices without external pressure. The board of regents, which is mostly made up of Democrats, is elected by state voters and typically makes decisions collectively. According to Michigan’s state constitution, the regents have the final say on the university’s finances and provide overall supervision of the institution.
The board of regents is scheduled to convene on December 5th. However, talks between the regents and university officials have stirred up strong opposition on Michigan’s campus recently. Administrators in charge of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) have launched a campaign to defend their work and secure their funding.
A large group of supporters of diversity, equity, and inclusion met at the Ann Arbor campus for a rally on Monday.
One of the speakers, a junior named Pragya Choudhary, expressed that she believes no one in the audience thinks the D.E.I. initiatives at the university are flawless. However, she believes that everyone present understands that without these initiatives, the university would be in a worse state.
Discussions on campus have highlighted a general lack of clarity about the purpose of the D.E.I. program and the intentions of the regents. Some faculty and students are concerned that the regents may completely cut funding for the school’s D.E.I. initiatives, although there is no indication that this is being considered. There have also been criticisms of the regents for allegedly planning to eliminate the school’s Go Blue Guarantee, which covers full tuition for low-income students from Michigan. However, the regents have actually expressed a desire to enhance this program.
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