When Targeting DEI Means Restricting Research and Academics

The mission of public universities is a sacred one: to advance knowledge for the public good through teaching, research and community engagement. But that mission depends on independence: Faculty and students must have the freedom to ask difficult questions and follow evidence wherever it leads – free from political interference.

While recent federal actions to dictate curriculum, steer research agendas and condition funding have drawn public attention and ire, bans on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives pose a quieter but equally consequential threat. Though many think these bans focus solely on eliminating student-support policies and admissions and programs, they are also quietly narrowing the scope of what students and communities are allowed to know.