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MARCH 2025

March 5th 

In Washington, DC, Black Lives Matter Plaza’s yellow mural and street signs were removed after the Republican Party and Trump administration threatened to cut federal funding if it wasn’t renamed to “Liberty Plaza.”

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The Office for Civil Rights launched investigations into more than 50 universities, targeting schools for allegedly using race-based preferences for admissions, hiring, and financial aid, with non-compliance resulting in the loss of federal funding. Tribal colleges are highly reliant on federal funding, with around 40% of their total revenue relying on federal grants and contracts. Generally, academic institutions utilize federal funding for research and development, accounting for about 55% of academic R&D spending. 

March 14th

The Impact .. 

THE ATTACK ON DEI IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The Trump administration is using federal funding dollars to threaten higher education, considering race-based preferences as non-compliant. Refer to January 2025 for information on the financial impact of this loss of funding.
This impact goes deeper than funding, it compromises both access to, and the quality of universities.
Formally implemented in the 1960s and 1970s, DEI programs improve the likelihood of minority students with limited resources ability to get an education, with a notable increase in those holding degrees. 

The same issue exists for American Indians, but unfortunately, limited data is available.
In 2017, 20.5% of American Indians held a college degree, a significant shift from 2003, when data only showed 12.6%
However, access to education is not the only impact that will be seen from the removal of DEI programs, these programs also
 
- Enrich the educational experience
- Promote personal growth
- Strengthen communities and the workplace
- Enhance America's economic competitiveness  
- Develop cultural competency and empathy 

Without DEI programs, we face the removal of projects and grants that impact our communities, threaten student belonging, and infringe on free speech and academic freedom. 
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