In a sweeping trend across the United States, numerous public universities are dismantling their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices and programs in response to mounting political and financial pressures. Republican-led state legislatures have spearheaded efforts to defund or outlaw DEI initiatives, leading to widespread changes in higher education institutions that once championed diversity-related policies.
Texas: University of Texas at Austin
One of the most high-profile cases is the University of Texas at Austin, which eliminated its DEI initiatives to comply with Texas Senate Bill 17. The law, which went into effect in 2024, prohibits public colleges from requiring DEI training and workshops, resulting in the dismissal of approximately 60 DEI staff members.
Alabama: University of Alabama System
Similarly, in July 2024, the University of Alabama System—comprising its flagship Tuscaloosa campus, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville—closed its DEI offices. The move was made in response to new legislation banning public institutions from maintaining DEI-related offices and programs.
North Carolina: University of North Carolina System
The University of North Carolina system's Board of Governors took a similar approach, eliminating DEI officers across all campuses. This action aligns with a broader Republican effort in the state to curb diversity-focused programs at taxpayer-funded institutions.
Virginia: University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia’s universities have also fallen in line with state directives to eliminate race-based initiatives. Both the University of Virginia (UVA) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) dissolved their DEI offices following pressure from the state’s Secretary of Education, who emphasized that taxpayer funds should not be used to support such programs.
Ohio: Ohio State University
Ohio State University announced it would dissolve all DEI offices and programs after facing political pressure from both federal and state lawmakers. The move marks a significant shift for one of the nation's largest public universities, which had previously invested heavily in diversity initiatives.
Michigan: University of Michigan
The University of Michigan has announced major changes to its DEI initiatives. Based on input from stakeholders and recent federal actions, the university has decided to:
Close the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) and the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion (OHEI). Student-facing services in ODEI will shift to other offices focused on student access and opportunity.
Discontinue the DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan, along with related programming, progress reporting, training, and funding. DEI leads within schools and colleges will return to their core responsibilities.
Require all units to update their web presence to reflect current programmatic directions and comply with federal executive orders and guidance.
End the use of diversity statements in faculty hiring across the university and prohibit DEI-related statements in admissions, hiring, promotion, awards, and performance evaluations.
Conduct an expedited review by the Office of the General Counsel to ensure all policies and programs comply with federal law and guidance.
Utah: University of Utah and Weber State University
In Utah, the University of Utah and Weber State University not only eliminated DEI offices but also shut down cultural resource centers that catered to Black students, LGBTQ students, and women. These closures further underscore the broad pushback against DEI efforts in public institutions.
Wyoming: University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming eliminated its DEI office as part of a state-mandated funding cut for diversity programs, marking another instance of legislative intervention in public higher education.
The National Landscape
These eliminations are part of a broader national movement driven by Republican-controlled legislatures seeking to dismantle what they see as ideologically driven DEI programs. Opponents argue that DEI initiatives promote exclusion rather than inclusion, while supporters claim that the rollback threatens progress toward a more equitable educational environment.
Adding to this nationwide shift, last Thursday, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision allowing the enforcement of two related executive orders: Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity and Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.
That same day, another executive order, Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities, directed the Secretary of Education to take steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and demanded further scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Last month, the Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter that interprets the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision striking down race-based affirmative action in college admissions to apply to other university policies and programs beyond admissions decisions.
As universities grapple with these changes, the long-term impact on campus culture, faculty hiring, and student support services remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the battle over DEI in higher education is far from over.
