Professor Julie J. Park pens an op-ed about the complexities surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education. She notes that while some DEI programs may be at risk due to recent policy changes, they are not necessarily unlawful.
The [current] administration鈥檚 directives on diversity, equity and inclusion have wreaked havoc across the higher education landscape. Confusion persists about whether all DEI activities are forbidden or just ones that are officially illegal. To top it off, there鈥檚 much bewilderment about what exactly constitutes an 鈥渋llegal DEI鈥 activity.
The ambiguity is a feature, not a bug. When people are confused about what鈥檚 legal or not, they鈥檒l overcorrect out of fear. As a result, we see colleges and universities scrubbing DEI websites and cutting diversity-related programming. The outcome? A hasty, often over-the-top retreat from efforts that serve students and faculty alike.
in Inside Higher Education.
