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The 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. 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 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 the Republican party in both government and academia.
In interviews, the university’s board of regents mentioned their plans to propose restrictions on diversity statements in hiring and promotions. They are also considering reallocating a portion of Michigan’s D.E.I. budget towards recruitment efforts and tuition assistance for students from lower-income backgrounds.
The proposed changes would position Michigan as one of the early selective public universities to reassess Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) from within, rather than due to external pressures. The board, which is elected by state voters and mostly operates through agreement, is mostly made up of Democrats with a 6-2 majority. The state constitution grants regents the final say in the university’s finances and overall supervision of the institution.
The next meeting of the regents is scheduled for December 5th. However, conversations between the regents and various university officials have stirred up strong opposition on Michigan’s campus recently. Administrators focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) have launched a campaign to address criticism of their efforts and protect their funding.
A large group of supporters for diversity, equity, and inclusion gathered on the campus in Ann Arbor for a rally on Monday.
One of the speakers, a junior named Pragya Choudhary, acknowledged that the D.E.I. initiatives at this university are not flawless, but emphasized that everyone in the audience recognizes the importance of these initiatives in making the university a better place.
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 might completely cut funding for the school’s D.E.I. initiatives, but this extreme measure is not currently being considered. There are also accusations that the regents are planning to eliminate the school’s Go Blue Guarantee, which offers full tuition to low-income students from Michigan. However, the regents have stated that they actually want to expand this program.
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