Trump's DEI attacks send Colorado universities scrambling
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Colorado universities are racing to decide whether to dismantle their diversity, equity and inclusion programs or risk losing federal funding.
Why it matters: The stakes are high. Giving up federal dollars could gut research and operations, while cutting DEI initiatives could disrupt student life.
State of play: The Department of Education issued a Feb. 14 letter directing schools — from preschool to college — to eliminate DEI policies within two weeks, setting this Friday as the deadline.
- Some Colorado institutions are scrambling to conform. Others are betting on legal challenges.
Zoom in: The University of Colorado Boulder, the state's largest university, is holding its ground for now and "will only change operations if and when we have to," chancellor Justin Schwartz said in a statement last week.
- CU Boulder is also working with the Colorado Attorney General's Office to prepare for possible court battles, Schwartz said.
- The university received $495.4 million from federal agencies for research and creative work last fiscal year, spokesperson Nicole Mueksch told Axios Denver.
Meanwhile, Colorado State University is already taking steps to comply — shifting employee roles, tweaking HR policies and scrubbing websites to align with federal guidelines.
- Yes, but: CSU president Amy Parsons said the university has stopped short of making "substantial changes" to student cultural resource centers.
- Federal funding makes up roughly one-third of CSU's budget, she said.
The other side: Hundreds of CSU students have protested the changes. Ella Smith, a student advocate for LGBTQ+ peers, told CPR that campus cultural centers are already being restricted.
- "They are no longer allowed to really do their jobs in terms of taking care of students' well-being," Smith said.
What we're watching: A federal judge in Maryland last Friday temporarily blocked parts of the Trump administration's DEI crackdown, marking a win for groups representing college diversity officers and university professors.
- The Trump administration is expected to appeal the decision, Bloomberg Law reports.