UVA business school drops DEI partnerships amid federal pressure
The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business has ended its relationship with two programs dedicated to increasing diversity in the business field.
A spokesman for the business school described the decision to end the relationships as 'part of a broader review of programs and partnerships across the University,' according to Poets and Quants.
The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business has ended its relationship with two programs dedicated to increasing diversity in the business field.
An MBA magazine, Poets and Quants, first reported the news on Tuesday.
The business school had previously been in a partnership with the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management for 32 years. The school also ended its relationship with Forté, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the number of women in business.
A spokesman for the business school described the decision to end the relationships as “part of a broader review of programs and partnerships across the University,” according to Poets and Quants.
The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business also ended its partnership with the Consortium earlier this month. According to the Consortium, the decision was motivated by “recent changes in state and federal policies regarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.”
President Trump signed an DEI executive order in January, threatening to remove federal funding from universities for non-compliance.
While the Darden School of Business has not publicly stated why it ended the partnerships, the federal government’s increasing pressure on the school to comply with its anti-DEI policies likely contributed to the decision.
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The Department of Justice is currently investigating UVA for DEI violations, and its former president resigned last month after the Trump administration pushed for his removal over DEI concerns.
The primary purpose of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management’s existence is to promote diversity in business.
“Our mission, supported by the strength of our growing alliance and network of committed allies, is to expand access and increase representation in business education and leadership for all individuals,” a mission statement on the organization’s website says.
As Campus Reform reported earlier this month, the mission statement previously mentioned specific racial groups, which can also be viewed on the Wayback Machine, an internet archive.
As of July 16, the Consortium described its mission as reducing “the significant underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans.”
Campus Reform contacted the Darden School of Business for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
