University of Michigan closes DEI office

The University of Michigan said it would close their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) office on Thursday in an effort to comply with President Trump’s executive order outlawing the practice. 

“These decisions have not been made lightly," the announcement from top university officials reads. "We recognize the changes are significant and will be challenging for many of us, especially those whose lives and careers have been enriched by and dedicated to programs that are now pivoting."

The memo was signed by university President Santa J. Ono; Laurie K. McCauley, provost and executive vice president; Marschall S. Runge, executive vice president for medical affairs; and Geoffrey S. Chatas, executive vice president and chief financial officer. 

In addition to the closure of their DEI office, the school will also terminate the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion and discontinue their DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan despite success rates, according to the release.

The move follows the university's decision late last year to no longer require diversity statements for faculty hiring, promotion or tenure. The Supreme Court also issued a decision in 2023 limiting the use of race as a factor in admissions, upending decades of affirmative action programs used by U.S. institutions.

The latest statistics from the University of Michigan show DEI programs boosted first-generation undergraduate enrollment by 46 percent while documenting an increase in undergraduate Pell recipients by more than 32 percent, per the memo.

“We have also heard concerns about the balance of resources between administration and direct student support,” the message from campus leadership said. “Some in our campus community have voiced frustration that they did not feel included in DEI initiatives and that the programming fell short in fostering connections among diverse groups.”

In 2021, the Heritage Foundation reported the University of Michigan had the most DEI staff members in the nation, with 163 employees. 

Their decision comes after the Education Department earlier this year sent a "Dear Colleague" letter to universities warning them of funding cuts if they did not shut down DEI programs.