HOUGHTON, Mich. (WLUC) – During the Michigan Tech University (MTU) Board of Trustees meeting Friday, the board voted to discontinue the university’s Diversity Incentive Award. This comes after a reorganization of Diversity and Inclusion staff earlier in the month as well.
According to the University, the Diversity Award was established in 2014 and intended to showcase University faculty and staff who demonstrate exemplary commitment to initiatives that forward diversity and inclusion. Each year, the Diversity Award winner received a $2,500 award and was honored during the annual Faculty Awards celebration in September.
MTU’s communication team said the Board of Trustees voted Friday morning to discontinue the award to adhere to multiple laws. First, the Board said it had to consider the 2006 Michigan Ballot Proposal 2, which voters passed to ban the use of affirmative action..
MTU Vice President for University Relations and Enrollment John Lehman explained the BOT’s reasoning for the recommendation during the meeting.
“In 2006, the voters of the state of Michigan passed ballot proposal 2, which restricted the ability of public universities from offering financial aid based on race, gender, or national origin,” Lehman said. “Since that time, the Diversity Incentive Award has seen very little utility amongst financial aid staff. So, to be congruent with recent changes in federal policy, and to be congruent with law and established practices, we recommend the Board retire Policy 9.14.”
In addition to adhering to the state law, Lehman points to the requirements laid out by the executive order signed by President Trump to end DEI initiatives. Trump signed an additional memo Tuesday giving public schools and universities two weeks to eliminate diversity initiatives or risk losing federal money.
Dissolving the scholarship is not the first change made at MTU to meet federal DEI requirements. In a Feb. 7 announcement from MTU’s Office of the President posted to Michigan Tech Today, the university announced organizational staff changes as well.
Center for Engagement and Belonging (formerly the “Center for Diversity and Inclusion”) staff will transition into new roles within the Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success. As a result, the Center for Engagement and Belonging’s Director Wayne Gersie will now lead the new Office of Community Engagement.
The University said, as a federal contractor, it is legally obligated to comply with all applicable federal policy and must implement changes to align with the law. Despite these changes, MTU said it will continue to work to create a campus environment that is “welcome to everyone, committed to inclusivity and respectful of each person’s individuality.”
TV6 also emailed Northern Michigan University’s spokesperson and asked if similar changes will be implemented to its Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion or other offices and scholarships at the university. We have not yet heard back.
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