ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — The University of Michigan is ending its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and closing its related offices. The university has long been seen as a leader in DEI programming.
In a letter signed by university President Santa Ono and other top school officials, the end to the school’s DEI programming was spurred by campus community input and intensifying federal actions against DEI programs.
Here are the following changes U-M plans to implement immediately:
- The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) and the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion (OHEI) will close. Student-facing services in ODEI will shift to other offices focused on student access and opportunity.
- The DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan, the umbrella strategy for schools, colleges and units, will be discontinued, along with DEI 2.0 unit plans, related programming, progress reporting, training and funding. Individual leads, who have supported DEI efforts in schools, colleges and units, will refocus their full effort on their core responsibilities.
- All units will evaluate their web presence to reflect the status of current programmatic directions and for compliance with federal executive orders and guidance.
- The decision to end the use of diversity statements in faculty hiring, which was made earlier this academic year, will be applied universitywide; and statements related to a person’s commitment to DEI will no longer be solicited or considered in admissions, hiring, promotion, awards, annual reviews or other assessments for faculty and staff.
- The Office of the General Counsel will initiate an expedited review to ensure all policies, programs and practices comply with federal law and guidance.
“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,” Ono wrote in a letter addressed to all students and staff Thursday.
Despite the changes, Ono wrote that the university remains committed to supporting every member of the university community and is now investing in student-facing programs including the expansion of financial aid, expanding student life programs, maintaining popular student spaces and celebrating cultural and ethnic programs.
To read the full letter, click here.
Some students say they're disheartened about the shuddering of the program and it's even affecting their decision if they want to remain at the school.
“Big reason that I came here as a queer person is that I knew that it had a really progressive history and I feel like this is just a really big step back and it makes me question even coming to the University of Michigan," University of Michigan student Gloria Whitebell said.
Rebekah Spencer is a U.S. Army veteran and current University of Michigan student. She says because of the decision that came down, that last part could change.
“I deployed to Iraq as an NCOIC, and diversity is what made us excellent," she said. “I’m already looking at universities overseas... because of this decision."
The university director of public affairs released the following statement to 7 News Detroit:
"The University of Michigan is moving forward with important changes to our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. In a message today to the Ann Arbor campus and Michigan Medicine, the university announced it will reallocate funding away from administrative functions and toward student-facing initiatives that directly enhance student success and foster a sense of belonging for all members of our community. This will include closing the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion and discontinuing the DEI 2.0 strategic plan, among other changes. More information about these changes can be found here [president.umich.edu] and here [publicaffairs.vpcomm.umich.edu]."
Other students say the funding the school used for DEI can now be used on other critical initiatives.
“I am in favor of the cuts. I don’t think they uphold a good idea of favoring people off group identity than on individual identity," University of Michigan student Kyle Brown said. “I’m just looking at the result and I think the result is good. The means can be debated otherwise, but I think the result of no more DEI on campus is good.”
