Ohio State to Close DEI Offices Following Trump Policy Changes
Ohio State University announced Thursday that the institution will close two offices dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and eliminate 16 positions, in response to Trump’s mandate. The federal directive requires public schools and universities to eliminate DEI programs or risk losing federal funding.
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The closures will take effect Friday, February 28th— impacting the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Student Life’s Center for Belonging and Social Change. Some scholarships administered by the Office of Academic Affairs will remain but will have modified eligibility requirements for future applicants.
Additionally, the Office of Institutional Equity will be rebranded as the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, which will continue to handle Title IX and ADA-related concerns.
The announced changes drew a large crowd to Thursday’s University Senate meeting at Drinko Hall— filled with students, faculty, and administrators, including members of the Black Student Association and the Ohio Student Association.
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“We are announcing initial changes in order to maintain programs that support all students and remove barriers to their success,” Carter said. “Our goal is to ensure that Ohio State continues to be a place where all are welcomed and treated with respect, while also following the letter and spirit of the laws and regulations that govern us.”
The restructuring will lead to the elimination of 16 professional staff positions over the next 60 days. Affected employees will be given assistance in finding other roles within the university. Student employees will not lose their positions and will be offered alternative jobs.
To keep the campus community informed, Ohio State has launched a webpage providing updates on legislative and executive actions affecting DEI programs, federally funded research, and immigration policies.
Read President Ted Carter’s full letter here.
The federal deadline for DEI program removals is March 1st.
Ohio State to Close DEI Offices Following Trump Policy Changes was originally published on ronemycolumbuspower.staging.go.ione.nyc