Across several states all around America, policymakers have moved aggressively to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs from public colleges and universities. The argument has often been that DEI initiatives create division, promote preferential treatment, or disadvantage certain groups of students. As a result, institutions have been instructed to dismantle offices, remove language, and distance themselves from programs associated with equity and inclusion.
Yet at the same time, many of these same political leaders are calling for investigations into alleged discrimination against white and Asian students in areas such as admissions, scholarships, and campus programming.
That raises an interesting question. If institutions are being asked to investigate discrimination and ensure that certain groups are not treated unfairly, isn’t that the very work DEI frameworks were originally designed to support?
The national policy environment suggests just how significant this shift has become. Since 2023, lawmakers in more than 30 states have introduced legislation restricting or banning DEI programs in public colleges and universities, signaling one of the most significant policy shifts in higher education governance in decades. At the same time, political leaders across the country continue to call for investigations into whether certain student groups are being treated unfairly in admissions, scholarships, and campus programs.
For years, DEI initiatives in higher education were meant to help institutions examine whether policies and practices created barriers for particular groups of students. The work often involved reviewing data, addressing disparities in access or outcomes, and ensuring that all students were treated fairly regardless of race, gender, background, or ability. In many cases, the goal was simply to help institutions live up to the civil rights principles that higher education has long been expected to uphold.
Civil rights protections have never applied to only one group. They apply to everyone. Federal law is clear on this point. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in any institution that receives federal funding. Colleges and universities do not have the option of ignoring discrimination claims. If allegations arise, institutions are legally obligated to investigate and respond.
