Whittier College rebrands DEI office citing Quaker values
College claims name change reflects Quaker values, but timing aligns with Trump’s Executive Order 14151 targeting DEI programs.
Move follows city push to strip 'diversity' from scholarship language and national trend of universities scrubbing DEI terminology.
Whittier College in California has renamed its Office of Equity and Inclusion to the Office of Inclusive Excellence, claiming the change reflects its “commitment to Quaker values of dignity, respect, and community.”
An archived version of the original webpage shows that the former Office of Equity and Inclusion Excellence is removing most references to “diversity” and “equity” from its website.
The move comes as colleges across the country dismantle or rebrand their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs in response to Executive Order 14151, titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.”
The order, signed by President Trump in January, directs all federally funded institutions to terminate DEI offices, policies, and training that promote “preferential treatment based on race or sex.”
In its updated web page, Whittier says the renamed office will advance “inclusive excellence and belonging,” but references to “diversity” and “equity” have been removed from both its title and mission statement.
The school framed the decision as consistent with their “welcoming multicultural community and the College’s roots in Quaker values.”
Whittier’s rebranding follows a national wave of higher-education institutions scaling back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) language to avoid legal conflicts.
Also in Los Angeles County earlier this year, the University of Southern California announced it is reviewing all webpages referencing “diversity” and “inclusion” to ensure compliance with new federal guidance.
The University of Michigan, Columbia University, and Northeastern University have also removed DEI statements from their websites, Campus Reform has reported.
Meanwhile, the University of Cincinnati and East Carolina University have begun eliminating DEI graduation requirements altogether.
In February, the Department of Education announced that it had eliminated more than $600 million in grants that went toward funding DEI and “Critical Race Theory.”
Campus Reform has reached out to Whittier College’s Office of Inclusive Excellence and Mayor Joe Vinatieri’s office for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
