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University of Michigan is considering making changes to its diversity program, which is known for being a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. This comes as critics raise concerns about the effectiveness and influence of the program on campus.
Authored by Nicholas Confessore
The University of Michigan, known for its strong support of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in higher education, is considering making adjustments to its own program. This comes as colleges nationwide prepare for Donald J. Trump’s second presidency and potential challenges to these initiatives from the Republican party in both government and academia.
Members of the university’s governing body expressed their intention to propose restrictions on the use of diversity statements in the hiring and promotion processes. Additionally, they are considering reallocating a portion of the university’s diversity, equity, and inclusion budget towards initiatives aimed at recruiting lower-income students and providing tuition guarantees.
The proposed changes in Michigan would position it as one of the pioneering selective public universities to reassess Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) without being influenced by legislative mandates. The board, predominantly composed of Democrats, is elected by state voters and typically makes decisions based on agreement among its members. According to Michigan’s state constitution, the regents have the final authority over the university’s financial matters and are responsible for supervising the school in general.
The next meeting of the regents is scheduled for December 5th. However, there has been strong opposition on the Michigan campus in response to initial talks between the regents and other university officials. Administrators focused on 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 gathered at the Ann Arbor campus for a rally on Monday.
During the event, a junior named Pragya Choudhary expressed that no one in the audience believes the D.E.I. initiatives at the university are flawless. However, she emphasized that everyone present acknowledges that the university would be in a worse state without these initiatives.
The discussions have highlighted a general lack of clarity on campus regarding the purpose of the D.E.I. program and the goals 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 this drastic measure is not currently being considered. There are also accusations that the regents are planning to eliminate the Go Blue Guarantee, which covers full tuition for lower-income Michigan students. However, the regents have stated that they actually want to increase the availability of this program.
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