Latest news with #OfficeofDiversity
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Palm Beach County suspends DEI policies to save nearly $330 million in federal funds
The Palm Beach County Commission has taken emergency action to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts from its policies to reduce the risk of losing millions in federal funding. This action on Tuesday was spurred in response to President Donald Trump's executive order that prohibits the use of federal funds for the promotion of gender ideology and diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs. For Palm Beach County, this action will mean several changes to county policies, including: — Suspending portions of the county's Equal Business Opportunity Ordinances, removing the enforcement and utilization of preferences or distinctions based on sex or race. — Eliminating the county's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, though this office never was staffed. Masimba Maxwell Mutamba, who is with the county attorney's office, told county commissioners during a public meeting on Tuesday that the goal of the emergency ordinance is to 'minimize the potential that a federal agency will independently decide that Palm Beach County is not fulfilling the terms of the grant conditions that incorporate these executive orders.' 'Basically, what we are recommending is that this board pass an emergency ordinance that suspends certain provisions of programs we currently have in place that may subsequently be found or determined by a federal agency to be violative of certain grant conditions,' Mutamba said. For the 2025 fiscal year, the county received nearly $330 million in federal grant funds, according to county documents. 'Although staff believes all county policies, programs and ordinances are consistent with the current interpretation of federal law by the courts with jurisdiction, the new interpretation of federal law by federal regulatory agencies raise concerns and could subject the county, the county commissioners and staff to potential legal liability,' county staff wrote. In need of a four-fifths vote by the County Commission to go through, the county commissioners voted 6-1 to put the emergency ordinance into effect but not without much turmoil expressed by some of the commissioners about the decision. 'I am committed to fairness, opportunity and inclusion for everyone in Palm Beach County because when we invest in every part of our community, we all rise. With that being said, I don't want to risk $329 million that come into our neighborhoods to provide essential services that we all rely on,' Commissioner Joel Flores said during Tuesday's meeting. 'There's no bone in my body that wants to approve this suspension. But I will do it only because I don't want jeopardize the livelihood of some.' Commissioner Gregg Weiss called the decision one of the hardest votes he has had to cast in public office. 'It's attack on local control, and it threatens the fairness that we all have been working on so hard to build into our system,' he said. 'For years, we've made sure that small businesses, especially those owned by women, minorities and historically excluded groups have a fair shot at doing business with the county. This new policy puts that progress at risk.' Not every commissioner shared these sentiments. 'I don't agree that this is a terrible thing to happen. I don't agree that having the best person for the best job at the best price for our taxpayers is a bad thing,' Vice Mayor Sara Baxter said. 'I can't be any more in support of something that gets rid of things based on race, whether it's one way or the other. That's a terrible way for society to thrive, and we got rid of it, and to go back to it is awful.' Mayor Maria Marino said she viewed the decision to go forward with the emergency ordinance as a 'temporary insurance policy for our taxpayers and our grant programs.' The Palm Beach County School Board set out to take similar emergency action in April, removing references to affirmative action in hiring, minority preference in vendor selection, racial balance in student assignments and racial diversity on some district committees, among other changes.
Axios
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Nashville faces legal uncertainty over DEI crackdown
Nashville's government and school system are scrambling to respond after moves from the Trump administration and Republican state lawmakers put diversity, equity and inclusion programs on the chopping block. Why it matters: Metro's response illustrates how the barrage of attacks on DEI programs is affecting government work at the local level. Because concepts like diversity are broad and vaguely defined, city leaders are living in the Wild West policy-wise as they determine how to respond without sacrificing vital work. Friction point: Metro officials tell Axios they are concerned that the DEI debate could hamper efforts to ensure that everyone has access to the support they need, regardless of demographics. What he's saying:"If you break it down, word by word, what exactly is the problem with diversity?" Metro legal director Wally Dietz tells Axios. "What's the problem with equity or inclusion? It's just that DEI has become a phrase that is a hand grenade going off in a room." Driving the news: Tennessee Republicans approved legislation this month that will require local governments to dismantle their DEI offices. Another measure forbids governments from factoring DEI into hiring or contracts. State Sen. Jack Johnson said his anti-DEI bills seek "to align Tennessee with what is happening at the federal level, and that is "to rid our employment practices at all levels of government of discrimination. And DEI is a form of discrimination." Those bills are heading to Gov. Bill Lee's desk to be signed. Inside the room: The frenetic speed with which the anti-DEI measures passed has made it difficult for Metro leaders to respond. A cavalcade of federal litigation nationwide challenging Trump's DEI attacks has complicated matters. "I'm trying to figure out exactly what our response will be," Metro legal director Wally Dietz tells Axios, referring to the recently passed state law about dismantling DEI offices. "It's chaotic." Dietz says Metro is still deciding whether to sue over any anti-DEI directives. Flashback: Over the last half-decade, Metro instituted an array of DEI policies, including the creation of new offices. Dietz says the goal was making sure there's a level playing field so that "all people — regardless of race, economic status, religion, gender — have an equal opportunity to participate in Metro programs and benefit from Metro grants, policies and procedures." Zoom in: Metro's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is housed in the Finance Department. The DEI office's mission is to oversee Metro's "anti-racism framework" and to "promote equitable procurement, contracting, and entrepreneurship outcomes," according to its website. More broadly, the office describes its goal of establishing itself "as conveners while continuously reviewing and redefining strategies, processes, and priorities to better reflect a continuum in equity." The bottom line: Dietz tells Axios he believes the city's DEI programs are "100% compliant with federal law" because they don't cross into the realm of Affirmative Action, nor do they favor one demographic group over another. Anti-DEI policies threaten education funding President Trump's anti-DEI policies put federal education funds earmarked for school districts like Metro at risk. State of play: The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to state leaders across the country earlier this month threatening to withhold Title I money if school districts failed to eliminate DEI programs that violate the Trump administration's interpretation of civil rights policies. A violation of civil rights law includes using DEI programs "to advantage one's race over another," according to the letter. Trump's plan is in flux. Three separate federal judges in recent rulings paused Trump's ability to withhold federal funding for schools with DEI programs. The intrigue: Metro Nashville Public Schools spokesperson Sean Braisted tells Axios the district certified that its programs are consistent with the Trump administration's interpretations of civil rights laws. "MNPS does not condone or promote discrimination against any student based on race or any other characteristic," he said. Yes, but: Braisted acknowledged that the district "re-envisioned" its DEI office, which was renamed "the office of student success and opportunity." He said the shift began prior to Trump's executive orders. "This updated name more accurately reflects the core of our work: ensuring every student has access to the resources, support, and opportunities they need to thrive — regardless of background or circumstance." Context: In his executive order, Trump claimed institutions like the federal government, big companies and colleges "adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called 'diversity, equity, and inclusion.'"
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
University of Michigan shifts DEI money to low-income students
The University of Michigan is sweetening its Go Blue Guarantee scholarship offer by covering housing costs and fees as well as tuition for aspiring nurses, teachers and social workers. The expanded help is among several new moves the school announced this week to bolster what it calls student-facing initiatives. School leaders promised more funding for such programs last month when they shuttered U-M's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Critics complained that the office and other diversity initiatives on campus had become too bureaucratic. Those programs also faced increased scrutiny from the Trump administration, which has targeted DEI efforts for elimination, claiming they discriminate by race. The Go Blue Guarantee provides free tuition to in-state students with family incomes of $125,000 or less and assets below $125,000. Beginning this fall, qualified undergraduates enrolled in the nursing or education schools who commit to a career in those fields, will have their housing costs covered as well. Living in U-M's dorms can cost between $12,000 and $20,000 per year, depending on the number of roommates and the type of meal plan. The housing and fees coverage also will be available to students who got the guarantee as undergrads and are pursuing a master's degree in social work. "Taken together, these investments aim to increase the number of students entering nursing and teaching fields, which require a bachelor's, and social work, which requires a master's, in order to help address the critical shortage of skilled professionals in these vocations locally and nationally," President Santa Ono said in a letter dated April 22 that also was signed by Provost Laurie K. McCauley and Martino Harmon, vice president for student life. Other initiatives announced this week include more support for: The Center for Educational Outreach, which supports under-resourced schools across the state. M-Connect, which helps community college students transfer to U-M. First Gen Gateway, which supports first-generation students at U-M. Success Connects, a coaching, tutoring and peer mentoring program for all students. "Our commitment to supporting people from all backgrounds and perspectives remains steadfast; and, moving forward, we will continue to improve our programs in ways that empower individuals to achieve their greatest potential," Ono said in his letter. Contact John Wisely: jwisely@ On X: @jwisely This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: University of Michigan shifts DEI money to low-income students
USA Today
04-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Let DEI die: Trump's playing hardball, and colleges are smart to fall in line
Money talks. That's the message coming loud and clear from the country's universities, as they respond to demands from the Trump administration to strip 'diversity, equity and inclusion' efforts and antisemitism from their campuses. College administrators who might otherwise have rolled their eyes at such demands are paying attention now that their federal funding – provided by taxpayers – is on the line. It's great to see. Without forced DEI, true diversity can flourish Last week, the University of Michigan announced it will shut down its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion and halt its DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan. It joins other schools, including Ohio State University, that are making wholesale DEI changes. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. The Michigan university has been ground zero for DEI efforts in recent years, with a burgeoning bureaucracy that had reached more than 160 employees at a cost of a quarter of a billion dollars. And did that spending help improve diversity or inclusion? No. If anything, DEI's explosion at the University of Michigan and on campuses nationwide has led to more division through polarization. It also has been linked to the antisemitic protests and violence at universities after Hamas' terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Since the beginning of President Donald Trump's second term, he has put schools on notice through executive actions that he expects them to quash both DEI and antisemitism – or face cuts to spending. The federal government spends tens of billions a year on federal education, through loans and grants, as well as research funding and other programs. Trump's actions follow years of pushback from Republicans at the state level to rid schools of DEI programs. But the number of colleges now falling in line is rising quickly, thanks to Trump's hardline approach. Dozens of universities in a majority of states have cut or made other changes to their diversity policies, according to a tracker from the Chronicle of Higher Education. Sarah Hubbard, a regent at the University of Michigan, understands why it is important for her university and others to backtrack on DEI. Hubbard is a Republican, which makes her something of a unicorn on the state's Democrat-dominated public university boards. On social media, she correctly observed that ending DEI programs will help the university 'better expand diversity of thought and free speech on our campus.' 'The end of litmus test hiring and curtailment of speech stops now,' Hubbard wrote. Want to ignore Trump? Plan on kissing federal money goodbye. While some universities are looking for ways to skirt wholesale reforms with nominative changes to existing programs, it's encouraging to see so many willing to take substantive action. The Trump administration has shown it's not messing around if college administrators don't take its demands seriously. In March, the administration announced it was withholding $400 million in funds from Columbia University, given the university's pathetic response to antisemitic displays that led to the harassment of Jewish faculty and students. Late last month, in a move that surprised many on campus and led to the resignation of Columbia's interim president, the university agreed to strengthen its security and protest policies, among other changes. The University of Pennsylvania also faces a cut of $175 million, because of its transgender sports policies that conflict with Trump's executive order protecting women's sports. Of course, it's possible for any administration to take things too far, and Trump's team must be careful to avoid demands or restrictions that would interfere with classroom instruction or other free speech. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying watching DEI die. Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@ or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
University of Michigan shutters all of its DEI offices as Trump continues to exert influence over higher ed
The University of Michigan is closing its diversity, equity and inclusion offices amid President Donald Trump's tirade against the programs. The public university in Ann Arbor is closing its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion, according to a Thursday statement. The university attributed the changes to 'recent federal executive orders.' Trump issued an executive order shortly after taking office seeking to end DEI programs, including those at higher education institutions. His administration also launched investigations into dozens of universities this month, alleging they violated civil rights laws with race-based scholarships and programs. 'These decisions have not been made lightly,' the university's statement 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 university will now be investing more money in financial aid, scholarships and mental health support. The school was once a flagship for DEI programs and was considered a model for other schools nationwide. The University of Michigan poured more than $250 million into their DEI program since it started a decade ago, The New York Times reports. The University of Michigan isn't the first school to cave to Trump's efforts to dismantle DEI programs — and it likely won't be the last. Case Western Reserve University, a private school in Cleveland, shuttered its DEI office on Wednesday. University President Eric Kaler cited Trump's executive orders in his announcement, local outlet Signal Cleveland reports. 'We have watched the evolution of the legal challenges to these executive orders, and, as we have seen among some of our peers already, it is clear we must be in compliance with them to receive the federal funding that is critical to our present and future,' Kaler said. Another school making changes to its DEI programs includes the University of Colorado, which took down its DEI webpage and posted a new one for an 'Office of Collaboration.' The University of Akron similarly announced it would no longer host a long-standing 'Rethinking Race' forum, citing federal and state guidance, according to The New York Times.
