Rutgers University’s Center for Minority Serving Institutions has canceled its upcoming virtual mini-conference on HBCUs and apprenticeships, citing President Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. While executive orders aren’t laws, the move has already had a chilling effect, with the center forced to halt work funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The Department of Education, which Trump has repeatedly vowed to eliminate, also announced it is taking sweeping action against DEI initiatives—removing materials, placing DEI-focused employees on leave, and pledging to shift priorities away from what they call “divisive ideology.”
Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway informed university leaders that some federally funded grant programs related to DEI had been put on hold, but reassured them that the university remains committed to inclusivity. Meanwhile, officials in other states say it’s still too early to determine the full impact of these executive orders.
This shift marks a stark departure from the DEI push seen after the 2020 deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Vox reports that legal challenges are likely, but with a conservative Supreme Court, efforts to block these changes may face an uphill battle. Trump’s crackdown on DEI is just beginning, and experts warn it could have lasting effects on government, business, and education for years to come.
