The Trump administration is giving America’s schools and universities two weeks to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives or risk losing federal money, raising the stakes in the president’s fight against “wokeness” and sowing confusion as schools scramble to comply.
In a memo, the Education Department gave an ultimatum to stop using “racial preferences” as a factor in admissions, financial aid, hiring or other areas. Schools are being given 14 days to end any practice that treats students or workers differently because of their race.
Educators at colleges nationwide were rushing to evaluate their risk and decide whether to stand up for practices they believe are legal.
The sweeping demand threatens to upend all aspects of campus operations, from essays on college applications to classroom lessons and campus clubs.
It’s meant to correct what the memo described as rampant discrimination in education, often against white and Asian students.
“Schools have been operating on the pretext that selecting students for ‘diversity’ or similar euphemisms is not selecting them based on race,” said Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights. “No longer. Students should be assessed according to merit, accomplishment, and character.”
The guidance drew sharp backlash from civil rights groups and university groups. Some believe its vague language is meant to have a chilling effect, pressuring schools to eliminate anything touching on the topic of race even if it may be defensible in court.
“Creating a sense of risk around doing work that might promote diverse and welcoming campuses is much more of the goal than a clear statement of existing law,” said Jonathan Fansmith, senior vice president of government relations at the American Council on Education, an association of college presidents.
The memo is an extension of President Donald Trump’s executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.