Our campus is under attack. On Friday, Feb. 14, the Department of Education sent a letter to all federally funded institutions stating that federal law prohibits the use of race in all administrative decisions. If institutions fail to comply within 14 days, they could “face investigation and loss of federal funding,” according to a press release from the department. Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Craig Trainor, the author of the letter, called it a “victory for justice, civil rights laws, and the Constitution.”
The letter follows in the wake of Executive Order 14151 and Executive Order 14173, which obliterated all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility programs within the federal government. The orders also direct the Department of Labor to cease “promoting diversity” and to remove the consideration of race when hiring.
In the letter, Trainor cites a court case that is foundational to our understanding of DEI today. The 2023 Supreme Court ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard established that both the Harvard and University of North Carolina admissions processes “unavoidably employ race in a negative manner” and “involve racial stereotyping.” Admissions could no longer consider race for purely demographic reasons. However, the majority opinion stated that “nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.”
Trainor argues that the decision “not only ended racial preferences in school admissions, but articulated a general legal principle on the law of race, color, and national origin discrimination.” He extends this ruling to every aspect of higher education affected by race: scholarships, admissions, research grants, etc. Removal of race-based decisions poses tough challenges for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and women’s colleges. Institutions like these serve hundreds or thousands across the country and would lose large amounts of federal funding for scholarships, research and infrastructure.
If it stands in court, this decision strips diversity from our incoming classes, faculty and staff hiring and even curriculum here at Furman. Racial or ethnic origin will not be used in admissions or hiring, thus reducing the diversity of thought and perspective we so value in a liberal arts education. Having a broad spectrum of racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as sexual orientations, hometowns or academic interests, is crucial to the success of higher education. It is a healthy way to force students outside of their comfort zones, allowing for growth and dialogue. In this polarized era, we would rather our student body represent the wide set of beliefs and identities found among the American people rather than become an echo chamber.
What is also threatened here is institutional equity. As institutions like Furman grapple with their histories of segregation and racial discrimination, the need to adjust factors such as admissions, hiring or curriculum to address past inequalities will always be significant.[/pullquote] If admissions is truly a “holistic” review, it must factor in race when considering the experience of the student. College applications read like stories, and this omission removes a vital chapter from the pages of many.
What should Americans do to stop this stripping away of DEI? On a national level, change is created through elections. According to the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement, only 34.5% of Furman students voted in the 2020 presidential election, while 68% of college students nationally voted. The most effective way to have your voice heard nationally is by voting, so Furman students should engage more with future elections.
While many changes at Furman following these executive orders will be beyond the control of the university, the administration can take steps to fight back. Furman can reclassify and rename former DEI initiatives while keeping the objectives and implementation intact. Just as the Center for Inclusive Communities is now the Center for Interpersonal Connections, renaming existing initiatives simply removes the now heavily politicized language of DEI, lessening partisan stigma while retaining impact.
The university can also find different ways to foster diversity through admissions. Our admissions process, in the absence of affirmative action, should still heavily consider the experiences of prospective students as expressed through personal statements. Admissions with an emphasis on individual experience, however colored by demographic characteristics, allows for a holistic review of students by enabling them to connect their identity with their competencies. This approach should help maintain a diverse student body while still adhering to DEI changes.
However, our campus culture is defined by students, not the administration. An inclusive campus is only as strong as the students make it, and we need to remember that fact now more than ever. We need to support identity-based organizations like Furman University International Students Association, Student League for Black Culture, Furman University Chinese Students Association, Afrikiya and others. Our culture on campus drives change amongst the administration, not the other way around. The best way to fight attacks on diversity is by showing how healthy and strong an inclusive community is.
What we are ultimately asking for is change. We’re asking for a future where we are fighting against polarization instead of feeding it. A future where a diversity of perspectives are encouraged and not hidden. One where Furman is a welcoming place for all students. Only you can make it happen, so display empathy, intentionality and love across differences to bring us closer to this future.
The Paladin would like to clarify that while this piece reflects the personal views of the members of The Paladin Board, it does not display the institutional goals of the Opinions section or the newspaper as a whole. The Paladin is dedicated to publishing a broad and diverse set of opinions from the student body and beyond. We want to hear your reaction to the story or any of our pieces. Please email thepaladin.news1@gmail.com or submit a Letter to the Editor via the form on our home page.
