Samford University shutters DEI office after reviewing Trump admin guidance

Samford University in Alabama has recently closed its Office of Student Success and Diversity to be in compliance with federal guidance. 

On a Samford web page that “no longer exists,” the Office of Student Success and Diversity (OSSD) website update comes after a previous message stated that the page was “under review and revision.” 

The change to the university web page comes after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released a “Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination” in July. 

The guidance was released by the DOJ as a means to “ensure that recipients of federal funding do not engage in unlawful discrimination.” Among those programs that the DOJ considered “unlawful” were “those labeled as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (’DEI’) programs.” 

After the DOJ’s guidance was released to universities and college administrators across the nation, Samford began reviewing DEI programs. OSSD also stated prior on its web page that the university looked “forward to completing this work and communicating [its] plans early in the fall semester,” as reported by The Samford Crimson.

[RELATED: Syracuse scraps DEI office, launches ‘People and Culture’ rebrand]

In comments made to The Samford Crimson, the university discussed the OSSD’s closure, stating, “Samford is committed to ensuring that, in compliance with state and federal law, all programs, activities, and resources are open to all students and employees, irrespective of race, ethnicity, or other legally protected characteristics.”

The university also stated that the review which resulted in the OSSD’s closure comes after two years of internal reviews as a result of legal developments relating to “diversity initiatives.” 

Samford said that “Following a Supreme Court decision in 2023 concerning college and university admissions, Samford began reviewing university operations to ensure compliance with the law, and that work continued into this year when the federal government issued related directives and guidance, including as recently as July of this year.”

[RELATED: UNC removes DEI course requirements after Trump’s executive orders]

“As a result of the review, the university made a decision to close the Office of Student Success and Diversity.  Samford is committed to ensuring that, in compliance with state and federal law, all programs, activities, and resources are open to all students and employees, irrespective of race, ethnicity, or other legally protected characteristics,” the university added. 

Campus Reform has previously reported on similar instances where DEI offices have closed to be in compliance with federal guidance.

In July, Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education closed its DEI office and removed the chief diversity officer, while other staff were to be reassigned to other departments. 

Campus Reform has contacted Samford University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.