During his first month in office, President Donald Trump signed over 70 executive orders — some of them notably ending Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practices within the federal government. Universities all across the country have until the end of February to end DEI programs or they will risk losing federal funding. How has Oakland University responded to these executive orders?

Historically, OU has been committed to diversity — diversity is officially listed in OU’s values under the Strategic Plan. OU also gives out scholarships labeled as “DEI awards.”

“At Oakland University, we advance diversity, equity and inclusion in an environment of mutual trust and respect at all levels of the institution and facilitate opportunities and success for all community members,” the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion stated in the 2024 DEI annual report. 

Undergraduate Admissions also uses this pillar of diversity through various initiatives and programs.

“Undergraduate Admissions is extremely proud to have, through recruitment and enrollment initiatives, increased the diversity of first year and transfer students over the last nine years … Diversity programming is a key component of their recruitment and outreach efforts throughout the year,” the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion said in the 2024 DEI annual report.  

OU also has the Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) plan which focuses on undergraduate recruitment, student retention and success and institutional policies among others. 

“Increasing the diversity of all student populations, including international students” is listed as one of the five goals of SEM.

This is further spelled out in Strategy 1.7., “Continue efforts to increase diversity and the enrollment of under-represented students … Tactic 1.7.e. Utilize the Slate CRM [admissions management platform] to assist in the prioritization of high-need recruitment areas, supporting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and first-generation college student recruitment goals.”

As of now, it’s unclear how admissions or other OU departments will be affected by the new executive orders. DEI policies have been met with support from various members of the OU community, including faculty and students. 

On Jan. 29, President Pescovitz sent out an email to the campus community titled, “President’s Perspective: Adhering to our values in complex challenging times.” In this message, President Pescovitz explained how OU has established a Strategic Response Team (SRT) to address these recent developments in executive orders. 

“The SRT is charged with assessing the potential impacts on Oakland, including in the areas of student success, research, teaching, community engagement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) …

“Members of the SRT will be charged with ensuring that we act in compliance with all federal orders in a manner that is consistent with our values and goals related to maintaining the highest-quality learning environment for our students, faculty and staff,” Pescovitz said. 

On Feb. 7, President Pescovitz sent out a second email titled, “President’s Perspective: Amid ongoing uncertainty, we stand on principle.” Pescovitz reassured members of the campus community that the SRT is continuing to work on OU’s response to federal policies. 

“Since Wednesday when I announced the formation of the SRT with members from the cabinet, staff and faculty, the team has made several recommendations that preserve the integrity of our community and values. We are proud of the great cultural differences of our community, and the openness and nonjudgmental attitudes that are prerequisites for a thriving learning environment,” Pescovitz said. 

Pescovitz shared similar information on the same day at the Board of Trustees meeting during the President’s Report. 

On Feb. 14, the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) wrote a “Dear Colleague” letter. In this letter, Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights, mandated that universities eliminate DEI-related policies by the end of Feb., and if universities choose to not comply, they risk losing federal funding. The letter emphasized that it is illegal to treat students differently based on their race, and the OCR reaffirmed its nondiscrimination policy for institutions that receive federal funding.

“Under any banner, discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin is, has been, and will continue to be illegal … If an educational institution treats a person of one race differently than it treats another person because of that person’s race, the educational institution violates the law. Federal law thus prohibits covered entities from using race in decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life. Put simply, educational institutions may neither separate or segregate students based on race, nor distribute benefits or burdens based on race,” Trainor said. 

On Feb. 20, a message from Academic Affairs and Student Affairs was sent out to the campus community via a campus communication email. The message was coauthored by Kevin Corcoran, interim executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, and Glenn McIntosh, senior vice president for student affairs and chief diversity officer.

McIntosh and Corcoran share the concerns they have received from some members of the campus community regarding “Dear Colleague,” and explain how the SRT is reviewing the details of the letter and is working with other public universities in Michigan. 

“Please know that we are navigating the path ahead according to the principles inherent in our mission. In the days ahead, decisions and actions taken will reflect the values and best interests of the Oakland University community and be compliant with the law,” McIntosh and Corcoran said. “Be assured that as we move forward together, we remain steadfast in cultivating a learning environment where education is a pathway to a civil society, differences are embraced, and opportunity thrives for all.”

The Oakland Post reached out to University Communications and Marketing for a comment on the current situation.

“The team reviews the orders and letters from Washington, D.C. to see what is the potential impact on OU,” John Young, Vice President of Communications and Marketing, said. “The entire situation is very dynamic, so what looks like a potential impact in the morning may change in the afternoon.”

Updated information and the university’s response are still in the works at OU, and announcements are expected at the end of the month. 

The OU Center for Multicultural Initiatives has not yet responded to The Oakland Post’s request for comment.