University of Michigan will end its DEI program, citing Trump executive order that ‘began to reshape higher education’

By Emma Tucker, CNN

(CNN) — The University of Michigan will immediately end its diversity, equity and inclusion program after months of discussion about potential rollbacks to the initiatives, which galvanized hundreds of students, staff and faculty to protest last year.

The university will close its office of diversity, equity and inclusion and the office for health equity inclusion, and will discontinue its DEI 2.0 strategic plan, which laid out a blueprint for diversity initiatives through 2028.

As part of the changes, funds will be reallocated to increase investments in financial aid and mental health resources. Further, university attorneys will conduct a review to ensure “all policies, programs and practices comply with federal law and guidance,” according to a university news release.

Funds will also be redirected to improving advising and counseling services as well as “innovative approaches” such as a personal AI assistant “for every member of the community.” Investments will also be made in maintaining student common areas and “celebrating cultural and ethnic programs,” the release said.

“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,” reads a joint statement from President Santa J. Ono and other university leaders.

The elimination of the program comes after President Donald Trump’s expansive executive order banning DEI programs, effectively ordering agencies to “align” with the White House’s policies and guidance.

Then, in February, the Department of Education threatened the federal funding of any academic institution engaging in DEI initiatives, which prompted many to scrub DEI mentions from websites, shutter programs and some to lose funding for scholarships.

In the past, many DEI initiatives have been credited as beneficial and studies have shown college students exposed to more diversity have greater levels of cultural awareness and political participation.

In a statement to CNN, Kay Jarvis, director of public affairs, told CNN: “… 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.”

The university said the decision was a culmination of monthslong discussions among university leadership and the board of regents about potential changes to its DEI initiatives, which led to further deliberation “in tandem with the early months of the new presidential administration when executive orders and federal guidance — including several that broadly criticized DEI programs — began to reshape higher education.”

The university faced scrutiny last year over potential rollbacks in the initiatives. Hundreds of students and faculty members in December protested on campus amid concerns the board of regents was defunding the DEI program entirely, and thousands of people signed a petition defending it.

Ban on faculty diversity statements now expanded universitywide

The joint statement from Ono and other university leaders cited “important progress” made since the launch of the DEI strategic plan in 2016, including a 46% increase in first-generation undergraduate students, “driven in part” by the success of its diversity programs.

“Some in our campus community have voiced frustration that they did not feel included in DEI initiatives and that the programming fell short in fostering connections among diverse groups,” the message further stated.

At the rallies last winter opposing changes to the program, speakers representing students, staff and faculty from various backgrounds spoke about the importance of DEI and “in some instances, speakers shared personal anecdotes about how DEI has positively impacted their lives,” University of Michigan professor Kevin Cokley, also the associate chair for diversity initiatives, previously told CNN.

The board of regents did not vote to defund the program at a December 5 meeting but agreed to roll back a requirement for faculty to submit diversity statements as part of hiring, promotion and tenure following a recommendation from an eight-member faculty group, the university said in December.

As part of the new actions announced Thursday, the use of diversity statements will be banned universitywide, adding: “statements related to a person’s commitment to DEI will no longer be solicited or considered” in admissions, hiring or otherwise.

In June 2024, Provost Laurie McCauley assigned the faculty committee “to explore the use of diversity statements in faculty hiring and promotion” at the university, the release said.

The group reviewed nearly 2,000 responses to a survey, which revealed most faculty members “agreed that diversity statements put pressure on faculty to express specific positions on moral, political or social issues.”

“Slightly more disagreed than agreed that diversity statements allow an institution to demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by cultivating DEI in the faculty,” the release said.

In a November 27 letter to deans, McCauley said many community members were concerned about the state of DEI at the university: “Those concerns have grown because of recent claims that the university is considering fully defunding these types of programs.”

She continued: “To be clear, those claims are incorrect.”

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

CNN’s Andy Rose and Maria Aguilar Prieto contributed to this report.