Prom
Backed by
The University of Michigan is exploring potential changes to its diversity program, which is known for being a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) in higher education. Critics are raising concerns about the effectiveness and influence of the program on campus, prompting the school to rethink its approach.
Written by Nicholas Confessore
The University of Michigan is considering making changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion program, as colleges nationwide prepare for the start of Donald J. Trump’s second presidency and potential challenges to these initiatives from the Republican Party in government and academia. Michigan is known for its strong support of diversity in higher education.
Officials in charge of the university mentioned in interviews that they anticipate the board will propose restrictions on the use of diversity statements in the hiring and promotion process. Additionally, the board might consider reallocating a larger portion of Michigan’s D.E.I. budget towards recruitment initiatives and providing tuition guarantees for students from lower-income backgrounds.
Michigan is considering changes that would make it one of the first selective public universities to reassess Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) without being prompted by legislation. The board, which is elected by state voters and usually makes decisions through agreement, is mostly comprised of Democrats. The state constitution gives regents the final say in the university’s finances and the overall supervision of the institution.
The board members will convene on December 5 for their next meeting. However, recent conversations between the board members and other university leaders have faced strong opposition on the campus of Michigan. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion administrators are actively defending their work and trying to secure their funding amidst the backlash.
A large group of supporters of diversity, equity, and inclusion gathered at the Ann Arbor campus for a rally on Monday.
During the event, a junior speaker named Pragya Choudhary expressed that she believes the D.E.I. initiatives at the university are not flawless, but emphasized that they are essential for creating a better environment on campus.
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 have expressed concerns that the regents may completely cut funding for the school’s D.E.I. initiatives, but this drastic measure is not being considered. There have also been accusations that the regents plan to eliminate the school’s Go Blue Guarantee, which covers full tuition for low-income students from Michigan. However, the regents have stated that they actually aim to expand this program.
We are experiencing difficulty in getting the article’s content.
Please make sure to activate JavaScript in the settings of your web
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm your access. If you are currently reading in Reader mode, please log out and sign into your Times account, or consider subscribing to access all content from The Times.
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm your access.
Have you already signed up? Please sign in.
Interested in receiving all of The Times content? Sign up for a
Prom
Index of the Website
Navigation for Site Information