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The University of Michigan is considering making changes to its diversity program, which has been a prominent advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. Critics are questioning the program’s effectiveness and its impact on campus life, prompting the school to explore new approaches.
Written by Nicholas Confessore
The University of Michigan, known for its strong support of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs 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 used in hiring and promoting employees. Additionally, they may consider reallocating more of the university’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 public universities to reevaluate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives without being prompted by legislature. The board overseeing the university is mainly comprised of Democrats and operates on a consensus basis. According to Michigan’s state constitution, the regents have the final say on the university’s finances and provide general supervision of the institution.
The next meeting of the regents is scheduled for December 5th. However, conversations between the regents and other university staff have faced strong opposition on Michigan’s campus lately. Administrators focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) have launched an effort to defend their work and secure their funding.
Hundreds of supporters of diversity, equity, and inclusion gathered at the Ann Arbor campus for a rally on Monday.
One of the speakers, a junior named Pragya Choudhary, expressed that they believed no one in the audience thought the D.E.I. initiatives at the university were flawless. However, they also emphasized that everyone present understood that without these initiatives, the university would be a less desirable place.
The discussions on campus have highlighted a lack of clarity 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. initiatives, although this drastic measure is not currently being considered. There are also criticisms against the regents for allegedly planning to eliminate the school’s Go Blue Guarantee, which covers full tuition for lower-income students from Michigan. However, the regents have stated that they actually aim to expand the program.
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