Federal Guidance Regarding DEI
On Friday, February 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights issued a "Dear Colleague" letter informing the higher education community of possible cuts to federal funding if they continue diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Institutions have until February 28, 2025 to comply with this new directive from the Trump administration. Although "Dear Colleague" letters do not carry the same legal weight as regulations or laws, AACRAO is still concerned about the implications of this letter. Melanie Gottlieb, AACRAO's Executive Director, has issued a statement to the association's members. The "Dear Colleague" letter draws upon the 2023 Supreme Court decision, Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, that made affirmative action in admissions illegal as its foundation. The "Dear Colleague" letter instructs schools to ensure they are in compliance with federal law, to mitigate efforts to circumvent bans on using race in the admission process, and to stop using third-party contractors to gather any sort of race information.