University of Denver drops DEI programs after DOJ warns of unlawful discrimination
The University of Denver (DU) announced last week that it will discontinue several Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in response to new federal guidance on nondiscrimination laws.
In a letter sent to the DU community on Aug. 19, administrators said they were 'deeply disappointed' by a recent U.S. Department of Justice memo.
The University of Denver (DU) announced last week that it will discontinue several Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in response to new federal guidance on nondiscrimination laws.
In a letter sent to the DU community on Aug. 19, administrators said they were “deeply disappointed” by a recent U.S. Department of Justice memo, which concluded that certain DEI practices at federally-funded institutions constitute unlawful discrimination.
University leaders said they would comply with the guidance while maintaining DU’s commitment to fostering an inclusive campus.
[RELATED: UMD renames diversity office to ‘Belonging & Community’ as DEI programs face pressure]
“We have deliberately taken a wait-and-see kind of approach, but at the end of the day, when the Department of Justice issued its memo at the end of July, we were ready to make some of these decisions to move forward,” said Chancellor Jeremy Haefner, according to 9News.
According to the DOJ’s memo, even well-intentioned efforts may violate federal law if they provide—or appear to provide—preferential treatment based on race, sex, or other protected categories.
Cited examples include race-specific scholarships, targeted recruitment, required diversity statements in hiring or admissions, and mandatory DEI trainings.
In their message, DU leaders emphasized that ignoring the federal directive could jeopardize millions in federal research funding and student financial aid.
“Not doing so could have serious consequences for achieving DU’s mission, including potentially losing many millions of dollars in federal support, which would jeopardize life-changing research, students’ access to federal financial aid, and create other personnel and operational impacts,” the letter stated.
The university said it will continue nondiscrimination and bias training. Officials also noted they are reviewing policies case by case and will issue additional guidance as needed.
“While we make changes in light of the government’s position,” the letter concluded, “we will continually strive to apply these changes through our core values of academic freedom, inclusion, belonging, access to education, and thought pluralism.”
The Trump administration has clarified for months that DEI policies and initiatives will not be tolerated. In February, the Department of Education warned universities that failure to remove race-based programs could cost them federal funding.
The Education Department’s letter called DEI efforts discriminatory, citing harm to white and Asian students, and discouraged practices like race-conscious admissions, scholarships, and hiring.
Campus Reform has contacted the University of Denver for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
