There has been a concerning uptick in legislation led by conservative groups attempting to ban diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education. These polarizing initiatives are measures and practices designed to ensure that members of colleges and universities (i.e. students, staff and faculty) have equal access to opportunities for success and inclusion. In higher education, DEI initiatives may include the installation of groups and offices dedicated to diversity and inclusion, along with courses and additions to the curriculum that feature the work of individuals from marginalized groups. These initiatives have been quintessential to developing our understanding of higher education.

Currently, there are over 30 bills across the United States attempting to restrict and ban DEI initiatives at public colleges. Six have been signed into law, with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott being the most recent to do so. As Fordham students, these bans are unlikely to affect us, given our status as a private college in one of the most liberal cities in the country. However, the attempts to limit DEI programs, especially paired with the reversal of affirmative action back in mid-2023, set a dangerous precedent in the future landscape of higher education.

As legislation banning these initiatives in higher education is passed, the responsibility of maintaining the practices and “safe spaces” at public colleges and universities in states with DEI bans unfairly falls on the student bodies. Colleges and universities should be fighting to keep these initiatives in place. These bans do a massive disservice to all students, marginalized or not, as DEI initiatives offer opportunities to learn more about cultures that may not otherwise be included in conversations if they’re not pushed to be there.

These bans hurt students nationwide, but they especially hurt those involved in clubs such as Black Student Alliances, Asian Student Unions and similar cultural groups. The University of Texas (UT), for example, is no longer providing grants to fund cultural events that these groups have been able to put on in the past. In a similar vein, students of marginalized groups at UT are also no longer eligible for grants designed for them. Grants like the Monarch Scholarship (a scholarship program for undocumented students) and the programs funding them have been completely disbanded due to this legislative action.

Conservative opponents of DEI initiatives label the inclusion of the initiatives as a form of “wokeness,” with former president and current frontrunner for the Republican party’s presidential nominee Donald Trump vowing to “direct the Department of Justice to pursue civil rights claims against any school, corporation, or university that engages in unlawful racial discrimination.” However, these initiatives are not put in place to serve as “unlawful racial discrimination,” but to level the playing field in order to amplify voices that would remain unheard for other reasons.

The goal of DEI initiatives is to mold the populations of colleges in a way that better reflects the more diverse world that we live in on a local, national and international scale. For example, the mission statement of Rutgers University is to “recruit, retain, and develop a diverse community” that “more closely reflects the state of New Jersey,” specifically referencing community outreach programs and the review and amendment of class curriculums to “promote understanding of diversity and equity within academic disciplines.” The goal is not to somehow discriminate against any non-marginalized group, but to invite more diversity into the discussion, offering a chance for everyone involved to learn from each other in settings where that may not have originally been possible.

Additionally, it’s important to note that these communities — BSAs, AAPI-related groups and the like — are not political unions, but cultural ones. They are opportunities for people in these cultures to share it with those who would otherwise not have the opportunity to experience them. Taking away funding from them in the way that state governments have been doing is preventing institutions of higher education that are meant to be internationally revered from being truly great. 

Besides, DEI initiatives have already been proven to have strong, positive effects within the workplace. Companies with diverse employee populations and management have been shown to yield greater returns and more highly inclusive companies are more likely to hit their financial target goals by up to 120%. The primary reason that many students attend college is to eventually get a job, so the fact that these initiatives have such good outcomes should be a positive sign for the workforce.

In a post-affirmative action society, along with an incredibly polarized political era, DEI initiatives are crucial in creating a well-rounded student body and essential in order to give students a diverse education throughout their time in college or university. The removal of such initiatives is a disservice to everyone involved, marginalized and non-marginalized groups alike. There is no point in participating in a global education if you are not exposed to a variety of perspectives, which the targeted DEI initiatives offer.