University of Maryland students and faculty members are worried after U.S. President Donald Trump targeted and revoked many diversity, equity and inclusion efforts nationwide.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration threatened to revoke federal funding for schools and universities if they do not eliminate diversity initiatives within two weeks, according to the Associated Press.
But many university community members called on this university to continue supporting the programs and explained how they are necessary for minorities on campus to gain equal opportunities.
This university’s Black Faculty and Staff Association held an event Tuesday to discuss the current state of diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Georgina Dodge, this university’s vice president for diversity and inclusion, said during the event that the Trump administration is using diversity programs as a scapegoat for “racism and bigotry.” It is understandable for people to be concerned about the rhetoric, she added.
“We’re going to continue to do the work that we’re doing,” Dodge said during the event. “We’re not going to overreact.”
In January, Trump signed an order to eliminate federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
But a federal judge in Baltimore blocked Trump’s orders that aimed to remove or change federal contracts related to diversity, equity and inclusion on Friday, citing the orders violated free speech, the Associated Press reported.
While executive orders aren’t laws, Dodge said during Tuesday’s event, they hold power because they dictate the direction of federal agencies moving forward.
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Dodge said this university could be targeted by Trump’s executive order because of this university’s close ties to the federal government, including funding such as research grants.
Other Big Ten universities have already seen change in the wake of Trump’s orders, she said. Dodge specifically highlighted the University of Iowa, where she previously served as chief diversity officer and associate vice president from 2010 to 2017.
Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill last May that prohibited state universities from maintaining, funding or creating diversity, equity and inclusion offices.
“It’s been really painful to see the good work that happened there being dismantled by the state government,” Dodge said.
University president Darryll Pines told The Diamondback in January this university would remain committed to its mission of creating a multicultural community regardless of these executive orders.
This university will continue to communicate support to its community members amid threats to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, Pines explained.
Dorian Mitchell, the president of this university’s Black Pre-Law Association, said supporting inclusive spaces, such as clubs and pre-professional organizations, is valuable to her and other students of color.
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These spaces support and give additional resources to students in fields where minorities are historically underrepresented, the junior government and politics and criminology and criminal justice major said.
“Those spaces [are] for students to gather and collaborate and express how it is moving throughout society as a person of color,” Mitchell said. “It’s just important for us to have.”
Nyla Cherry, executive board member and journalism liaison for this university’s Minorities in Sports chapter, thinks that diversity efforts on campus foster growth for students.
Cherry, a jumper on this university’s women’s track and field team, said she would feel unsupported as a student athlete if the school scaled back diversity programs on campus.
“You want me to do this and that, but you’re not pouring back into me,” the junior journalism major said.
Annika Kulkarni, an instructional committee member of Girls Who Code, said she appreciates this university’s transparency about supporting diversity on campus.
But the junior computer science major hopes this university doesn’t give into the federal government’s pressure and stop supporting such programs in the future.
Dodge reaffirmed this university’s commitment to supporting community members, despite the recent rhetoric and executive orders.
“It doesn’t matter what the work of including, supporting, assisting, helping other people is called,” Dodge said. “We will continue to do that.”
Staff writer Oliver Mack contributed to this story.
