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The University of Michigan is reevaluating its diversity program, which has been a prominent supporter of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. The school is exploring new strategies amid criticism about the program’s effectiveness and influence on campus dynamics.
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 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 government and academia.
According to interviews with university regents, they anticipate the board will propose restrictions on the use of diversity statements in hiring and promotions. Additionally, the board may consider reallocating more of Michigan’s D.E.I. budget towards recruitment initiatives and financial aid for students from lower-income backgrounds.
Michigan is considering changes that would make it one of the first selective public universities to reevaluate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives internally rather than in response to external pressures. The board overseeing the university is mostly made up of Democrats and operates by reaching a general agreement among its members. Regents have ultimate authority over the university’s finances and provide overall supervision of the school, as stated in Michigan’s state constitution.
The regents are scheduled to convene on December 5th. However, conversations between the regents and other university officials have caused strong opposition on Michigan’s campus lately. Administrators in charge of diversity, equity, and inclusion have launched a campaign to address criticism of their efforts and protect their funding.
A large group of supporters for diversity, equity, and inclusion met at the Ann Arbor campus for a rally on Monday.
One of the speakers, a junior named Pragya Choudhary, mentioned that she believes no one in the audience thinks the D.E.I. initiatives at the university are flawless. However, she also pointed out that everyone present acknowledges that without these initiatives, the university would be a less welcoming place.
There is a lack of clarity on campus regarding 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. efforts, but this drastic measure is not being considered. There are also accusations that the regents plan to eliminate the Go Blue Guarantee, which covers full tuition for lower-income students from Michigan, but in reality, the regents aim to actually expand this program.
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