Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs have been a topic of conversation since President Donald Trump signed an executive order to end "radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing."
On Feb. 14 the U.S. Department of Education instructed institutions that receive federal funding, via a letter, to "cease using race preferences and stereotypes as a factor in their admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, sanctions, discipline, and beyond."
The directive gives institutions a 14-day timeframe from the issuance of the letter to comply with applicable law or lose federal funding and face potential investigation.
"Title IV, student loans, state funding for curriculum development, free or reduced lunch programs, and support for students with special needs," are among some programs and laws that may be affected, according to an article by NPR.
DEI was started as a tool to help marginalized communities have equal opportunities and access to employment. It is aimed to help these communities feel a sense of belonging in a majority-white corporate setting, according to The Courage Collective founder Daniel Oppong in an article by CNN.
ASU's charter describes how diversity and inclusion are central to the University's mission by emphasizing that its success is "measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes."
Many degree programs require students to take courses related to diversity and ethics in order to graduate. Journalism students at ASU are required to complete JMC 115, which "offers training and awareness on cultural sensitivities, civil discourse, bias awareness and inclusion initiatives," according to the course description.
ASU also requires staff to complete inclusivity trainings every two years.
Disagreeing with DEI initiatives
Goldwater Institute senior constitutionalism fellow Timothy K. Minella said in a statement, DEI "uses nice-sounding words to conceal a radical and discriminatory agenda," and DEI has failed to promote inclusion.
Minella said the ideology behind DEI teaches that American society is fundamentally unjust.
"At its core, DEI abandons the principle that people should be judged on their character and merit rather than their race, arguing with that this colorblindness furthers the 'oppression' of certain groups," Minella said.
Minella said while every American has the First Amendment right to favor or oppose DEI, state institutions shouldn't make employees "affirm these ideologies as a condition of employment or advancement."
Owen Anderson, an ASU professor who teaches philosophy and religious studies courses, has spoken out against mandatory DEI training as well.
Anderson received an email from ASU in October 2022 mandating all employees were required to take an inclusive communities training along with a quiz to test their knowledge upon its completion. Anderson refused to complete the training claiming it was discriminatory, according to his Substack.
"I shouldn't be forced to take training and affirm ideas with which I disagree as a condition of employment," Anderson said in a report by The Goldwater Institute. "This 'training' is simply racism under the guise of DEI. It goes against my conscience, and I want no part of it."
The Goldwater Institute sued ASU on Anderson's behalf "for using taxpayer funds to mandate DEI training among faculty — in violation of state law," according to a report by The Goldwater Institute.
READ MORE: Update: ASU responds to Goldwater Institute DEI training lawsuit
Anderson began speaking out about the issues he faced when ASU began requiring DEI and SafeZone training. In Anderson's Substack, he wrote that the training claimed problems in the world were "whiteness" and "homophobia."
"The SafeZone training taught that there are infinite genders; if you disagree, you are a homophobe, and if you agree, you get a rainbow sticker for your door to show you are a 'safe' professor," Anderson wrote.
Advocating for DEI initiatives
While some faculty like Anderson argue DEI programs cause more harm than good, some student leaders and advisers argue DEI programs are crucial to have on campus.
Ned Wellman, the adviser for the Accelerated Leadership for Underrepresented Minorities (ALUM), said the organization aims to give students from minority groups that historically have not been as represented in top leadership — especially business organizations — a chance to get together, network and build connections.
"One of the reasons why advancing leadership for underrepresented minorities is important is if you look at the makeup of top leadership at most companies, it's not proportional in terms of minority representation," Wellman said.
Wellman said groups that tend to have more diversity benefit by being more creative and less susceptible to groupthink; a term describing groups that agree on something without rationally generating different ideas.
Wellman said ALUM and similar organizations are important for the inclusion element of the ASU charter.
"If we are going to try to represent the communities we serve in terms of diversity we also need to make sure everyone has access to the resources needed to succeed. And acknowledge that those might be different for different people as a result of our society," Wellman said.
Wellman said the potential rollback on DEI programs would signal to minority groups that they are not as valued or welcome as ASU claims.
"Just bringing a diverse group of people together isn't enough to benefit from all of the ways that diversity could help us, and in fact, if we're all together and we're not mindful about how we come together, then there's an opportunity for problems," Wellman said.
According to Wellman, DEI adds value to universities, institutions and businesses that take advantage of these programs, and ASU moving away from this would sacrifice some of the benefits of diversity.
"ASU is reviewing the executive orders issued by President Trump to assess their possible impact on Arizona State University," an ASU spokesperson said in a statement.
"We will communicate updates when there are specific actions to be taken in order to comply with the orders," the statement said.
Edited by Senna James, Sophia Braccio, Tiya Talwar, Alexis Heichman and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporter at nrodri74@asu.edu.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.
Natalia is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication with a minor in creative writing. This is her second semester at The State Press.