Virginia colleges dismantle DEI programs after federal funding threat
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Virginia universities and colleges are buckling under the threat of losing federal funding if they don't eliminate their diversity, equity and inclusion programs and policies.
Why it matters: As conservatives celebrate the end of DEI, some higher education experts say it could set civil rights work back 50 years.
State of play: Virginia's secretary of education, Aimee Guidera, recently told university boards to investigate and end any race-based initiatives.
- Her directive reinforced the Trump administration's January order to end DEI from colleges nationwide.
- And for the schools, major funding is at stake. VCU, for example, relies on nearly a half-billion dollars in federal money for student loans and research grants.
The latest: In recent weeks, VCU and UVA's Board of Visitors voted to dissolve their DEI offices and review all university programs, including financial aid and scholarships.
- Virginia Tech is likely next, per the Roanoke Times.
- The school has already begun removing DEI-related web pages, which Tech students told a student-run outlet were a source of support for people of color on campus.
- It's unknown how many jobs this will affect, but UVA board member Bert Ellis told the Daily Progress that "every aspect of DEI is to be ripped out, shredded and eliminated."
- The state board overseeing 23 community colleges in Virginia also ordered community colleges to end their DEI initiatives.
Zoom in: Other universities — like JMU and CNU — have quietly scrubbed mentions of DEI from their sites or taken down pages referencing it altogether.
- JMU sites for anti-racism resources and a DEI committee for JMU athletics are down.
- So is CNU's site about a President's Council on DEI, which has sponsored grants for student research.
George Mason — which is being federally investigated for alleged "race-exclusionary practices" — has renamed its DEI office to the "Office of Access, Compliance and Community."
- And before last week's board decision, VCU posted on their job site that it no longer requires diversity statements in faculty hiring.
Between the lines: Though state Attorney General Jason Miyares has given public universities guidance about how to ax DEI programs, the guidance is confidential.
What we're watching: Whether the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling ends up having an effect on course content and functions of student organizations.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to remove references to VSU, which linked to actions being taken by Valdosta State University (not Virginia State University).