Over the last two months, the University has sent several newsletters to the campus community regarding the Trump administration’s crackdown on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.
The University’s newly formed Federal Updates Steering Group sent students an email on April 3. It detailed the first focuses of their work in response to recent federal directives.
The email listed two main initiatives currently underway: clarifying website language “to make clear that individuals of any race, color and national origin may participate in our activities” and “review(ing) selection criteria used for opportunities that may provide a specific benefit to an individual, such as scholarships, awards, events.”
“We are just beginning the process, and we don’t have a timeline since our websites include thousands of pages and we have no way of knowing how long it will take to review them all,” wrote Robin Kaler, associate chancellor for strategic communications and marketing, in an email statement to The Daily Illini. “And to be clear, this review does not include curricula or scholarly activity.”
Overall, the exact implications for the University remain somewhat uncertain. There are no specific changes regarding DEI as this evaluation process continues.
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“I know of no alterations that (have) been made or will soon be made to scholarships,” wrote Chantelle Thompson, assistant vice chancellor for strategic operations, in an email statement to The DI.
On March 24, Chancellor Robert Jones announced that the federal updates newsletters would be sent weekly. The newsletter aims to “keep you updated on all that we are doing to help advocate and navigate these often unsettling times.”
This came after prior communication from the University on Feb. 16 and March 6 that gave initial insights into the administration’s thought process following the “Dear Colleague” letter.
On Feb. 14, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights released the “Dear Colleague” letter. This expanded the ban on racial preferences beyond college admissions.
The letter read, in part: “Federal law thus prohibits covered entities from using race in decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships … and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life.”
The letter further said these “discriminatory practices” have been justified “under the banner of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion.’” Schools had two weeks to comply with this new directive or risk losing federal funding.
“What we’re trying to figure out is, what does the ‘Dear Colleague’ letter really mean for the University?” said Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sean Garrick. “Almost all of campus leadership has been involved in thinking about these things.”
A follow-up FAQ from the Education Department clarified that programs with DEI terminology are not inherently unlawful. However, the “OCR’s assessment of school policies and programs depends on the facts and circumstances of each case.”
“They specifically call out illegal DEI practices,” Garrick said. “I don’t believe there’s anything we are doing that is illegal … I don’t think they want the University to be non-inclusive.”
However, some institutions have taken more drastic measures and completely cut their DEI programs, including The Ohio State University. In February, OSU eliminated its Office of Diversity and Inclusion. They later announced some scholarships will be “maintained with modified eligibility criteria going forward.”
The “Dear Colleague” letter, the Education Department’s public tip website — EndDEI.ed.gov — and other education-focused initiatives are just one facet of the Trump administration’s anti-DEI agenda. An executive order in January removed DEI programs from the federal government, calling them “illegal and immoral discrimination programs.” The first step in this process was removing DEI guidance from websites.
As the University continues to navigate the issue of DEI on campus, Garrick urges students to speak out.
“If one has questions or concerns … I don’t think waiting for a Massmail is the appropriate thing to do,” Garrick said.
