The ongoing challenges faced by Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in higher education during the Trump administration. William A. Jacobson of the Equal Protection Project provides insights on the effectiveness of current strategies and potential future actions for reform.
• Current Strategies: Higher education institutions are attempting to resist Trump’s anti-DEI measures by disguising their practices and ignoring Executive Orders. They are essentially "hunkering down" to wait out the administration.
• Jacobson's Work: Jacobson has worked effectively to challenge over 700 DEI-related programs across various universities, achieving success in modifying or eliminating 175 of them. His organization tracks these efforts and files civil rights complaints.
• Federal Lawsuits and Delays: The Department of Justice faces numerous lawsuits aimed at blocking Trump's efforts to withhold funding from colleges that allegedly discriminate under the guise of DEI. Jacobson views these lawsuits as a strategic way to delay changes, allowing institutions to maintain their practices.
• Need for Permanent Change: Jacobson emphasizes the importance of establishing formal regulations rather than relying solely on Executive Orders, as regulations are harder to overturn. He stresses that Congressional legislation would be the ideal solution to abolish discriminatory DEI practices, although he acknowledges current political hurdles.
• Future of DEI Programs: Jacobson warns that if no concrete changes are implemented, DEI initiatives will likely re-emerge once there’s a shift in political power. The need for decisive action is pressing to ensure lasting reform in higher education.
The efforts to challenge and reform DEI programs in higher education have seen some success, but significant work remains. With the political landscape continually shifting, long-term strategies, such as formal rule-making, are necessary to secure a more equitable framework in colleges and universities. Jacobson's insights underline the urgency in addressing these issues to prevent the resurgence of controversial DEI practices in the future.
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