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The University of Michigan is considering making changes to its diversity program, which is well-known for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. Critics are raising concerns about the program’s effectiveness and its influence on campus culture.
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 Republican challenges to these initiatives in both government and academia.
Members of the university’s board of regents stated in discussions that they anticipate the board will propose restrictions on diversity statements in the hiring and promotion process. Additionally, there is a possibility that the board will consider reallocating a portion of Michigan’s diversity, equity, and inclusion budget towards initiatives such as recruitment efforts and financial aid for students from lower-income backgrounds.
The proposed changes in Michigan would make it one of the first public universities to reconsider Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) internally, rather than in response to legislative mandates. The Board of Regents, elected by state voters, has a majority of Democrats and typically makes decisions through agreement. According to Michigan’s state constitution, the regents have the final say on the university’s finances and overall supervision of the institution.
The board of regents is scheduled to convene on December 5th. However, talks between the regents and other university leaders have faced strong opposition on Michigan’s campus lately. Diversity, equity, and inclusion administrators are actively defending their work and fighting to maintain their funding.
A large group of supporters for diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) came together on the campus in Ann Arbor on Monday for a rally.
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 those initiatives, the university would be a less welcoming place.
The discussions have highlighted a general 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. initiatives, although this extreme measure does not seem to be on the table. There are also accusations against 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 their desire to increase this program.
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