Colleges today must make a tough decision– either remove essential college services for vulnerable and underrepresented communities or stand strong against the wave of backlash against these programs.
In President Donald Trump’s first few months in office, he has ensured to the public that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs will be his top priority for federal funding removal. The White House’s public statement on ending “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing” said DEI programs are a waste of public resources and undermine people’s skills and merits. The president said he is giving all agencies, public colleges and programs 60 days from his inauguration to remove all information regarding these programs or they will lose their federal funding.
Many public schools are now being targeted by the United States Department of Education. In a Feb. 14 letter, the education department said that many schools have been discriminatory to white and Asian students and that the DEI programs are “smuggling racial stereotypes and explicit race-consciousness into everyday training, programming and discipline.” They claim that DEI programs are a form of discrimination based on race, color or national origin.
Despite the change in the federal government, the California school system remains unchanged and in a Feb 21. statement, Tony Thurmond, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, said federal laws cannot override California education.
Ajani Byrd, dean of Institutional Equity, Diversity and Inclusion of Foothill College, said his department focuses on a strategic vision for equity for the many programs and faculty on campus. Byrd said the department creates partnerships with those on campus, assisting with groups on how to build community on campus, one-on-one training and crisis management with administrators when an issue arises.
He said the office helps support LGBTQIA+ students and students of color by providing them a sense of belonging and safe spaces on campus. He said the BIPOC and PRIDE center have both opened on campus in the last three years.
“The national rhetoric is damaging, it is deeply concerning,” Byrd said. “I believe there is a misinterpretation of what diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility mean. The reason why I intentionally said all of those words is because it’s not DEI, right? DEI, you can cluster into one, and then you can remake that into something that it may not be. And so, I think there is a definite struggle from a national rhetoric side of what DEI means. It also includes our disabled students’ programs and services, veterans and Title IX. It includes universal design on how we make the learning experience better for all our students.”
He said the office is an essential resource on campus that strengthens the school community in the support of the common good that both “challenges and guides” people of different world views. Without DEI services, he said many people’s lives will be directly affected and the ability to partner with professors and students to help them thrive will suffer
“From the local level, there is anxiety– these are my words,” Byrd said. “There’s apprehension, there is concern, but our day-to-day has not changed. My role has not changed. The college or district has not asked me to change my title. They have not asked me to change programming or anything it is. We’re moving forward until otherwise directed.”
Simon Pennington, associate vice president of college and community relations, marketing and communications of Foothill College, said it is cruel for the current administration to try to remove funding for the DEI program that help everyone on campus reach their goals. He said it is a main part of their culture to serve underrepresented students.
Marisa Spatafore, the associate vice president of communications & external relations, also told the Town Crier in an email that the hostility toward inclusion is deeply concerning. She said the school is located in a fortunate place where state officials are working to protect DEI programs.
“We work at De Anza College to ensure that our programs and services are available to all students,” Spatafore said. “We are committed to ensuring that our entire student body has access to these resources in order to succeed.”
