Along with many other schools across the U.S., Brown University and Ohio State University are evaluating President Donald Trump’s executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion.
Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order entitled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing” announced the “termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear.”
When reached for comment, Ohio State University assistant vice president for media and public relations Benjamin Johnson told The Center Square that Ohio State is “reviewing the recently signed executive orders and related communications.”
“As always, when federal regulations change, we will follow the law and work to ensure our students, faculty and staff have the resources needed to succeed,” Johnson said.
Brown President Christina Paxson and Provost Francis Doyle sent a message to the campus saying that “offices across Brown are actively evaluating all federal activity related to higher education.”
“The university should know much more in the coming weeks and months as federal guidance related to the orders becomes available,” the message said.
“We always follow the law,” the message said. “But we are also prepared to exercise our legal right to advocate against laws, regulations or other actions that compromise Brown’s mission.”
When reached for comment, Brown’s vice president for news and strategic campus communications Brian Clark directed The Center Square to the campus message, saying it “may be of some assistance in understanding Brown’s approach to navigating all of the new and emerging federal actions as they are in their early stages.”
The Center Square was unsuccessful getting comments to Trump’s executive order from Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Duke, Yale, Penn, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Boston University, Emory University, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, UC San Diego, Indiana University or the University of Pittsburgh.
The Center Square previously reported on a number of schools’ responses to the executive order, several of which stated they are reviewing it.
