Oregon universities stand by DEI programs
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As some colleges dismantle their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives ahead of a second Trump administration, universities in Oregon are not planning any changes.
Why it matters: President-elect Trump has promised a crackdown on DEI programs, even threatening to cut federal funding to schools that promote what he has deemed "left-wing indoctrination."
Context: DEI programs, many of which sprung up in 2020 amid Black Lives Matter protests and a national reckoning on race, often involve running cultural centers, ensuring diversity in hiring and developing training to promote inclusiveness.
- DEI initiatives on college campuses have been targeted by Republican governors. Florida, Texas, Iowa and Utah have banned them, and Alabama has restricted them.
- The bans include the shuttering of cultural centers for Black and LGBTQ+ students as well as hundreds of edits to course descriptions to remove references to race and equity.
Zoom in: Officials from Oregon's three largest universities told Axios they have no plans to change or cancel their DEI initiatives.
- Eric Howald, a spokesperson for the University of Oregon, said, "Nothing has changed regarding the university's equity and inclusion practices," though he noted the school was "always evaluating the changing landscape."
- In Corvallis, spokesperson Rob Odom told Axios, "There have been no changes at Oregon State."
- At Portland State University, Katy Swordfisk said, "We have not shut down cultural centers or cut DEI programming," and had no plans to do so.
The other side: Paul Brest, a professor emeritus at Stanford Law School, recently co-authored a column on the drawbacks of DEI programs.
- Brest argued that DEI programs at schools like Stanford are too ideological, but despite those qualms, Brest tells Axios initiatives like cultural centers are key in fostering community.
- "The main goal is for students to feel like they really belong on campus. If you don't feel like you belong, you're much less likely to be academically engaged and successful."
What they're saying: Swordfisk said PSU's cultural centers — designed to foster community for students from Native American, African and Middle Eastern backgrounds, among others — are "an active part of our campus community and a resource for many students."
- "Equity and social justice have long been at the core of Portland State's mission and are an essential framework to everything we do as a university," Swordfisk said in an email to Axios.