Ali Bianco
Thu, March 27, 2025
The University of Michigan — one of the leading academic bastions of diversity, equity and inclusion in the country — is shuttering the doors of its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and shutting down its model DEI program.
In an email on Thursday, the university’s leaders pointed to the court-order enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive orders on “restoring merit-based opportunity” and ending DEI programs across the country, as well as the “Dear Colleague” letter from the Department of Education that threatened to eliminate federal funding for universities that did not eliminate their DEI efforts.
As a result, the university’s DEI office — which launched in 2016, the start of the first Trump administration — and the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion will close. The university’s DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan, the reimagined version of their original umbrella strategy for DEI across their schools and colleges, will be discontinued.
“These decisions have not been made lightly. We recognize the changes are significant and will be challenging for many of us, especially those whose lives and careers have been enriched by and dedicated to programs that are now pivoting,” the announcement said.
Multiple universities and school systems across the country have caved under scrutiny from the Trump administration, removing DEI content from their websites and shutting down DEI programs. But the University of Michigan has long been considered a model for DEI initiatives across the country.
The end of its DEI office signals a big win for the Trump administration as it moves to end the focus on DEI in the American education system.
It’s a stark contrast from the launch of the DEI 1.0 program a decade ago when the university began “to enact far-reaching foundational change at every level, in every unit” and poured nearly $250 million into the program, according to an investigation from the New York Times.
The program made Michigan a national example, and in the face of backlash on “critical race theory” and widespread protests over the war in Gaza, the university strengthened those efforts. They hired more people in DEI offices and expanded the program.
Their DEI initiatives have not been without controversy, especially in their struggle to enroll Black students and to address complaints over campus protests following the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel. But university leaders noted Thursday that first-generation students have increased by 46 percent, and Pell Grant recipients increased by more than 30 percent.
Even as other universities started ending the use of diversity consideration across all hiring and admissions in the last year, Michigan had yet to enact widespread changes. Now diversity statements will not be allowed — for hiring, which they announced in December, but also for admissions, promotion, awards or any other assessments. They’re also updating their websites to ensure compliance with federal law.
Going forward, the university will be increasing investments in financial aid, expanding scholarship programs for students and expanding mental health support. Certain student multicultural spaces will remain open, according to the university.
“We are deeply grateful for the meaningful contributions of leaders, faculty and staff who have advanced our ongoing efforts to create an ever-more inclusive and respectful community,” the announcement said.
University of Michigan shuts DEI office, citing Trump orders and funding warning
Kanishka Singh
Thu, March 27, 2025 at 8:56 PM MDT
2 min read
10
The University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor
By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The University of Michigan - long seen as a bastion of diversity, equity and inclusion programs - said on Thursday it was closing its DEI office, citing executive orders from President Donald Trump and a warning from the federal Education Department.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
Since taking office on January 20, Trump has passed executive orders aimed at dismantling DEI in the government and private sector. The U.S. Education Department, in mid-February, warned of cuts in federal funding for universities if they continued with DEI programs.
The university said on Thursday it did not make its decision lightly and acknowledged its changes will be challenging for many people who support the programs. Its DEI office was launched almost a decade ago.
KEY QUOTES
"The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion will close. Student-facing services in ODEI will shift to other offices focused on student access and opportunity," the office of the university's president said.
"The DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan, the umbrella strategy for schools, colleges and units, will be discontinued."
CONTEXT
Rights advocates say DEI programs help uplift marginalized communities by addressing historic inequities. Trump and his allies call the programs anti-merit and discriminatory against white people and men.
DEI programs have been part of workplace diversity efforts to ensure fairer representation for groups seen as historically marginalized, such as African Americans, LGBTQ+ community members, women, disabled people and other ethnic minorities in the United States.
DEI efforts picked up pace, including in the private sector, in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.
By last year, the university had spent more than $250 million on DEI efforts, the New York Times reported.
Kanishka Singh
Thu, March 27, 2025 at 8:56 PM MDT
2 min read
10
The University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor
By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The University of Michigan - long seen as a bastion of diversity, equity and inclusion programs - said on Thursday it was closing its DEI office, citing executive orders from President Donald Trump and a warning from the federal Education Department.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
Since taking office on January 20, Trump has passed executive orders aimed at dismantling DEI in the government and private sector. The U.S. Education Department, in mid-February, warned of cuts in federal funding for universities if they continued with DEI programs.
The university said on Thursday it did not make its decision lightly and acknowledged its changes will be challenging for many people who support the programs. Its DEI office was launched almost a decade ago.
KEY QUOTES
"The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion will close. Student-facing services in ODEI will shift to other offices focused on student access and opportunity," the office of the university's president said.
"The DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan, the umbrella strategy for schools, colleges and units, will be discontinued."
CONTEXT
Rights advocates say DEI programs help uplift marginalized communities by addressing historic inequities. Trump and his allies call the programs anti-merit and discriminatory against white people and men.
DEI programs have been part of workplace diversity efforts to ensure fairer representation for groups seen as historically marginalized, such as African Americans, LGBTQ+ community members, women, disabled people and other ethnic minorities in the United States.
DEI efforts picked up pace, including in the private sector, in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.
By last year, the university had spent more than $250 million on DEI efforts, the New York Times reported.
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