College students of color have begun to notice the effects of DEI cutbacks as previous campus support initiatives fade away.
Many programs once built to promote inclusivity and community for diverse students at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) have faced temporary pauses or immediate shutdowns due to the anti-DEI push. The issue comes especially amid the Trump administration’s threats to schools to shut down DEI practices or risk funding.
President Trump released a memo in February ordering all federally backed institutions to remove race from all decisions regarding financial aid, student life, faculty, and admissions. In light of the order, many colleges and universities across the United States have already axed their DEI programs, some leaving students of color with little to no alternatives for support.
Diverse students have already felt the shift on campus as their potential isolation becomes more imminent.
“It feels like we’re going back. I don’t know how else to describe it,” shares one impacted student, Iris Rosario, to the Associated Press. “It’s like our voices aren’t being heard.”
Rosario has already seen her campus at the University of Michigan begin the shutdown of its DEI office. As Michigan also plans to cancel its campus-wide inclusion plans, students like Rosario are concerned about their experience at the school without these measures.
She added, “It would be hard to find my community if I didn’t have access to these resources.”
The elimination of DEI extends beyond campus activities, also impacting the accessibility of higher education for diverse groups. At Michigan, the DEI shutdowns will even rid the LEAD scholars program. The program offers scholarships to Black, Latino, and Native American students.
While the school assured its diverse students that their financial aid would not be affected despite the program’s cancellation, it still leaves students wondering what comes next for the next class.
“They’ve taken away our sense of community,” continued Rosario. “It just makes it that much harder for people of color to feel comfortable pursuing higher education.”
Most schools receive federal support through student aid, grants, as well as research funding and government contracts. Some, such as Johns Hopkins University, accrue 40% of their revenue from federal funds, as reported by PBS.
Many schools have bowed down to government pressures to eliminate DEI offices and support. Meanwhile, others have stood up to Trump’s orders, refusing to comply despite the billions at stake. Harvard University formally stated that it will not change its policies for hiring and admissions to fit Trump’s anti-DEI agenda.
In response, the Trump Administration paused the $2 billion Harvard receives in grants and contracts. The federal government has already paused billions in funding for other schools, such as Northwestern and Cornell, over their own alleged civil rights violations that infringe on current DEI sentiments.
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