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The University of Michigan is considering making changes to its diversity program, which has been one of the leading initiatives in higher education for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Some critics have raised concerns about the program’s effectiveness and how it has affected 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 in higher education, is considering making changes to its program. This comes as colleges nationwide prepare for Donald J. Trump’s second term as president and potential challenges to these initiatives from Republicans in government and academia.
Members of the university’s governing body stated in discussions that they anticipate the board will propose restrictions on diversity statements in the process of hiring and promoting employees. Additionally, the board might consider reallocating a larger portion of Michigan’s diversity, equity, and inclusion budget towards initiatives focused on recruiting students and providing financial assistance to those from lower-income backgrounds.
Michigan is considering changes that would make it one of the first selective public universities to proactively address diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) without being compelled by legislation. The board, which is elected by state voters and primarily operates through consensus, is dominated by Democrats with a 6-2 majority. The state constitution grants regents significant authority over the university’s finances and general supervision of the institution.
The next meeting of the regents is scheduled for December 5th. However, conversations between the regents and university officials have caused controversy on the Michigan campus recently. Administrators focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) have launched a campaign to defend their work and ensure continued funding.
A large group of supporters of diversity, equity, and inclusion, met on the campus of Ann Arbor for a rally on Monday.
During the event, speaker Pragya Choudhary, a junior, mentioned that she believes no one in the audience thinks the D.E.I. initiatives at the university are flawless. However, she emphasized that everyone understands that without these initiatives, the university would be in a worse state.
Discussions on campus have highlighted a general lack of clarity 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 cut funding for the school’s D.E.I. initiatives, although this drastic measure does not seem to be on the table. 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 aim to expand the program.
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