Schools throughout the country responded, some by shuttering diversity programs, some by renaming webpages to make their pursuit of DEI less obvious, and some by resisting.
Wayne State, for instance, changed its Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to the Office of Inclusive Excellence. At this writing EMU’s DEI page remains online, and its website declares that the school remains committed to “firmly denouncing and condemning all forms of racial inequality and injustice.”
In March, the Trump administration targeted a group of universities, alleging assorted violations related to DEI. Columbia University caved to its demands. In April, confronted by even more onerous requirements, Harvard chose to stand firm. The administration countered by threatening to revoke its tax-exempt status. But less than a day later, Columbia’s acting president promised students that it, too, would fight for its independence.
The U-M also was targeted, for allegedly “engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs.” The university has spent about $250 million on DEI initiatives since 2016, according to a December 2024 article in the New York Times Magazine.
On March 27, president Santa J. Ono and other administrators sent a letter to the university community announcing that the U-M Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion would close immediately; some other DEI efforts, including consideration of diversity in faculty hiring, would end. In April, the university announced the departure of chief diversity officer and vice-provost Tabbye Chavous.
The letter attributed the policy changes partly to complaints from individuals who “voiced frustration that they did not feel included in DEI initiatives.” However, it acknowledged that the reconsideration intensified in response to federal actions. The letter said the university would expand financial aid, mental health support, and programs “that strengthen community, promote a sense of belonging and expand accessibility.”
All U-M units subsequently were asked to evaluate their own activities for compliance with federal executive orders. The U-M Alumni Association ended its flagship diversity program, LEAD Scholars. The acronym stands for the requirements for a scholarship that encouraged minorities to apply to U-M: Leadership, Excellence, Achievement, and Diversity. Since 2008, nearly 900 students who were accepted to U-M with a 3.5 high school GPA and were U.S. citizens or permanent residents received scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 each year. The program also offered students help adjusting to college and staying healthy through their undergraduate years.
The retreat left emeritus professor John Burkhardt “grieving the loss of character and the broken identity we are suffering. Someone asked me, ‘Wasn’t there a lawyer in the room?’ I asked, ‘Wasn’t there an educator in the room?’”
Rebekah Modrak, chair of the faculty Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs (SACUA), says many are disturbed that the university, “known for its commitment to cultivating a diverse student body, even leading lawsuits advocating for racial justice, betrayed its values by closing the Office of DEI.” More than 3,000 faculty senate members approved resolutions calling on the administration to create a “mutual defense pact” with other Big Ten schools, protect academic freedom and international students, and continue or reinstate “all legally compliant DEI initiatives.”
Lee Bollinger, past president of U-M (1996–2002) and Columbia (2002–2023) told the Chronicle of Higher Education in March that “the government cannot intrude into university decision-making without compelling reasons, whether directly or by placing unconstitutional conditions on funding.” Of course, he was talking about what the federal government can legally do, not necessarily what it has done or will do.
Higher education is not alone in being ordered to cease DEI programs. The administration has made similar demands on public schools, also eliciting varied responses. The state of Maine is under siege after refusing to comply. Title I programs, which provide for underprivileged students, are also under fire.
Bridge Michigan reports the state of Michigan won’t abandon DEI programs in K–12 public schools. “The intention of these threats … is to cause chaos,” Pamela Pugh, president of the State Board of Education, told the nonprofit news website. The Michigan Senate also resolved to support DEI policies and programs.
“Our hiring policies and practices have always been consistent with the law and consistent with the expression of our values,” says Ann Arbor mayor Christopher Taylor. “At this juncture, we have to my knowledge not changed anything.” The website for the city’s Office of Organizational Equity remains intact, and its director, Laura Orta, is still on the job.
“We live in a time of great uncertainty,” adds Taylor. “The creation of uncertainty and chaos is an intentional part of the federal project at this time. People in Ann Arbor should know that their government will continue to be there for every member of the community and will continue to serve every member of the community.”
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