University of Wyoming DEI department gets the chop

Cy Neff, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees voted unanimously last week to eliminate the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) department and move its staff and some of its programming to other departments on campus.

The decision was made to balance input from the university community and the will of the Wyoming legislature, according to a written statement by University President Dr. Ed Seidel.

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“We received a strong message from the state’s elected officials to change our approach to DEI issues. At the same time, we have heard from our community that many of the services that might have incorrectly been categorized under DEI are important for the success of our students, faculty and staff,” Seidel says. “These initial steps are a good-faith effort on the part of the university to respond to legislative action while maintaining essential services.”

Additionally, the University will no longer require job applicants to “submit statements regarding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and no longer evaluating employees’ commitment to DEI in annual performance evaluations.”

Dr. Ed Seidel, President of the University of Wyoming
Dr. Ed Seidel, President of the University of Wyoming

State lawmakers voted in March to cut $1.73 million from the University of Wyoming’s block grant and forbid state funding for the school’s diversity program. At a packed Board of Trustees meeting in March, students, educators, and community members rallied in support of DEI initiatives, and the Board of Trustees pledged to vote on a path forward at their May meeting.

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The decision from the Board of Trustees comes amidst a heated national debate on DEI. Donald Trump recently spoke against the “DEI revolution” and pledged to crush “anti-white” racism. Defenders of DEI argue that its programming is necessary in acknowledging the present-day effects of past violence.

Cy Neff reports on Wyoming politics for USA Today. You can reach him at cneff@usatoday.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CyNeffNews

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: University of Wyoming cuts DEI department