Harvard University is fighting the Trump administration in court—but it has also made some changes that appear to go some way toward meeting the administration's demands. In what CNN calls a "symbolic bow" to the White House, the university's Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging has been renamed Community and Campus Life. In a letter Monday, Sherri A. Charleston, the office's head, said continuing to build a diverse community while complying with a 2023 Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action in colleges "requires us to learn from and be responsive to our community and to reimagine our work in ways that meet our current needs and goals."
Ending DEI programs was one of the main policy changes the Trump administration demanded, the Hill reports. "We must sharpen our focus on fostering connections across difference, creating spaces for dialogue, and cultivating a culture of belonging—not as an abstract ideal, but as a lived experience for all," wrote Charleston, whose former title was chief diversity officer. Charleston's office also announced Monday that the university would not host or fund affinity group celebrations during commencement this year, the Harvard Crimson reports.
Last year, Harvard hosted 10 affinity celebrations, including events for Black, Indigenous, and Asian American graduates. In a statement to the Crimson, university spokesman Jason Newton said Harvard is reviewing the FAQs that were issued on February 28 by the US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. Newton added: "Harvard remains committed to building a community where individuals who bring a broad array backgrounds, experiences and perspectives come together to learn, grow and thrive, and equally committed to complying with the law." (More Harvard University stories.)
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