University of Michigan caved to Donald Trump on DEI programs

University of Michigan caved to Donald Trump on DEI programs | Opinion

Scott L. Greer and Elizabeth Popp Berman
Op-ed contributors


(Detroit Free Press) The University of Michigan belongs to the people of Michigan.

It is inscribed in the state constitution. Michigan voters elect our regents. When the university takes federal money, it is payment for services rendered: funds for research in areas from cancer to AI, payments for health care, or support for students who chose to come.

At U-M, diversity, equity and inclusion doesn't mean bureaucracy; it means a welcoming university that can do those jobs for the people of Michigan and the world, hiring the best researchers and doing cutting edge science.

Thursday, in the face of federal pressure to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, the University of Michigan announced that it is rolling back its nationally known DEI efforts. University Regents have emphasized their desire to reduce bureaucracy, and other critics have also pointed to what they see as DEI “bloat.” But the federal attack on DEI is not actually about reducing bureaucracy, or doing better by students. In reality, it’s part of a larger program that deploys misinformation and government threats to weaken universities. ..................(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2025/04/05/university-michigan-dei-trump-doge-columbia/82784641007/