U. Illinois won’t accept any more race, sex-based scholarships under new policy – The College Fix
The University of Illinois's non-discrimination policy on its website; University of Illinois
The University of Illinois's non-discrimination policy on its website; University of Illinois
The university is ending faculty DEI statements for tenure, too
The University of Illinois System will no longer accept scholarships awarded based on a student’s “race, color, national origin,” or “sex/gender,” according to a new policy adopted by the public institution.
The change also prohibits such discrimination in hiring, tenure, and other employment-related actions, Inside Higher Ed reports.
In a recent message, university officials cited “current legal standards” as a reason for the changes, according to the Chicago Sun Times.
However, a UI Chicago faculty union leader accused the institution of “capitulating” to the Trump administration.
“UIC’s mission is to increase access at the highest levels of excellence, and this, to me, sends a message that essentially says we don’t actually care about access,” law Professor Nicole Nguyen told the newspaper.
“We’ve understood that the world is not a level playing field, and that some people, by virtue of the communities, the neighborhoods, the families that they’re born into, have disadvantage or privilege,” Nguyen said. “Scholarships that attend to racial inequity, gender inequity are about trying to level those scales.”
The Sun Times reports more about the university’s new policy:
Going forward, any donor- and institutionally funded scholarships UIC offers must be reviewed and revised to ensure they do not consider an applicants’ “race, color, national origin, and sex/gender,” according to a recent communication sent by UIC leadership. Leaders said any scholarships already awarded or approved before Oct. 14 will not be affected.
In addition, faculty will no longer be allowed to submit a statement on their efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion as part of their tenure process, according to a message sent by UIC’s vice provost for faculty affairs and reviewed by WBEZ. “The UI System made this decision after carefully considering the increased risk to our faculty and to the University that these criteria present in the current climate,” the vice provost wrote.
President Donald Trump has issued several executive orders related to civil rights, discrimination, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. One issued in April calls for the restoration of “equal opportunity and meritocracy” over “race- or sex-based favoritism.”
Another ordered an overhaul of the “higher education accreditation system, ensuring colleges and universities deliver high-quality, high-value education free from unlawful discrimination and ideological overreach.”
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