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The University of Michigan is considering changes to its diversity program, which has been a major advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. Critics are raising concerns about the program’s effectiveness and its influence on campus life, prompting the school to explore new approaches.
Written by Nicholas Confessore
The University of Michigan, known for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, is considering making changes to its program. This comes as colleges nationwide prepare for the second term of President Donald J. Trump and potential challenges to diversity initiatives in both government and academia.
Members of the board in charge of the university mentioned that they anticipate proposing restrictions on diversity statements when making decisions about hiring and promotions. Additionally, they may consider reallocating more of Michigan’s diversity, equity, and inclusion 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 public universities to reassess diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) on its own accord, rather than due to external pressure. The majority of the board overseeing Michigan is made up of Democrats, who are elected by state voters and typically make decisions through agreement. The state’s constitution gives the regents authority over the university’s finances and overall supervision of the school.
The next meeting of the regents is scheduled for December 5. However, recent discussions between the regents and university officials have caused strong opposition on Michigan’s campus. Administrators responsible for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) have launched a campaign to defend their work and secure their funding against criticism.
A large group of supporters of diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) came together on the campus of Ann Arbor for a rally on Monday.
During a speech, a junior named Pragya Choudhary expressed that although no one in the audience believed the D.E.I. initiatives at the university were flawless, they acknowledged that the university would be in a worse state without them.
The discussions on campus have highlighted a general lack of understanding 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 remove 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 students from Michigan. However, the regents have stated that they actually want to expand the program.
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