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The University of Michigan Board of Regents did not vote on defunding its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program during their final meeting of the year. Instead, they decided to no longer require diversity statements for faculty members during hiring or promotion. The board did not explicitly state that the DEI program would not be disbanded, but they reassured the community that there were no plans to make cuts to the program.
The board also announced an increase in household income requirements for the Go Blue Guarantee program, which provides tuition-free admission to high-achieving in-state students. The new income threshold is now $125,000, up from $65,000, to make education at the university more accessible and equitable.
Despite concerns raised about the DEI program’s effectiveness, the board received support from students, faculty, and staff at a rally on campus. Some individuals expressed worries about the potential dismantling of the program, citing the importance of diversity of thought and expression on campus.
President-elect Donald Trump has stated his intention to scale back DEI programs at federally funded colleges, while some states have already banned such initiatives at state-funded universities. One professor at Michigan called for the elimination of all DEI programs, criticizing them as a form of discrimination.
In summary, while the University of Michigan Board of Regents did not vote on defunding the DEI program, they made changes to faculty diversity statements and increased income requirements for tuition-free admission, receiving both support and criticism from members of the university community.
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