Arizona universities quietly delete DEI language while trying to navigate Trump rules on diversity, equity and inclusion

PHOENIX – Arizona universities are unsure of the future of inclusive initiatives as both the Trump administration and state Legislature threaten funding over diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

Arizona public universities have quietly removed DEI language to comply with a Jan. 20 executive order from President Donald Trump, which says government agencies must terminate all DEI “actions, initiatives, or programs” or face federal funding cuts.

The University of Arizona changed its land acknowledgement, and UA President Suresh Garimella told faculty by email last week that the university is “creating an inventory of our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)-related programs.”

How did the Arizona university’s DEI language change?

Before the executive order, the UA land acknowledgement read, “We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. Committed to diversity and inclusion, the University strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.”

The university has since removed the phrase “committed to diversity and inclusion.”

Land acknowledgements are commonly used to acknowledge the Indigenous peoples who originally inhabited the land.

What’s the critique Arizona universities are receiving?

Jacquelyn Francisco, president of the UA Native & Indigenous Law Students Association, criticized the university for a lack of transparency when adjusting the land acknowledgement.

“This change was made without transparency and without consideration for the Indigenous students and communities it directly affects,” Francisco wrote in a LinkedIn post, which was also shared on the association’s Instagram. “A land acknowledgment should not be subject to silent revision or political convenience.”

Response from Arizona universities over DEI language critique

UA defended the change, saying it was made to comply with federal guidelines.

“Aligning our land acknowledgment with federal guidance does not change the university’s unwavering commitment to its land grant mission or providing access to a world-class education for Native, Indigenous, and all students,” a UA spokesperson said in a statement. “We will continue to support and engage with Indigenous communities through education, research, and meaningful partnerships that honor the land’s rich history and culture.”

Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University both said they are monitoring federal regulations involving DEI.

“NAU is carefully monitoring the evolving situation and its potential impacts,” an NAU statement said. “We continue to gather information and prepare for the future, consistent with our values and commitment to serve all our students, operating within the legal frameworks that govern our operations as a public institution.”

ASU said it “is reviewing federal actions as they are issued to assess their possible impact.” The university has faced scrutiny over DEI trainings, including a lawsuit last year from the Goldwater Institute.

Potential law over Arizona universities and DEI language

Last Thursday, the Arizona House moved forward a proposed constitutional amendment “that expands prohibitions on preferential treatment and discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity in public education, spending and hiring practices.”

Rep. Steve Montenegro, R-Goodyear, the prime sponsor of the measure, said during a Feb. 12 House Government committee hearing that the measure would “help restore color blindness” and ensure that “our citizens are not coerced to support racially divisive ideologies simply to get a job or to graduate from college.”

The Goldwater Institute spoke in favor of the amendment at the hearing. Matt Beienburg, director of education policy for the Goldwater Institute, said in an interview the conservative think tank stands in favor of “restoring our institutions to do those principles of the American founding.”

“The fight is really trying to restore and protect American ideals of equality before the law, ensuring that we are treating students, employees, faculty, applicants, contractors, really, anybody equally and without respect to the color of their skin,” Beienburg said. “(We are) ensuring that all these individuals are equal before the law.”

In Garimella’s email last week, the university president tried to ease the UA community’s fears about potential DEI policy changes.

“I emphasize to you that the implementation of the recent federal directives is a complex process, especially given potential legal challenges, variance in agency interpretations, and varying timelines, and it will take time to understand their full impact,” he said in his email. “Moving forward, I know we will continue to work together as a university community, caring for each other and focused on our mission while remaining adaptable to the changing landscape in higher education.”

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

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