One of the Trump Administration’s most controversial executive orders to date has been abolishing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from American schools and universities. 

“We have ended the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government and, indeed, the private sector and our military,” Trump said in his address to Congress on March 4. “And our country will be woke no longer.”

On Feb. 14,  the U.S. Department of Education released a communication known as the “Dear Colleague Letter,” which interpreted the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College case. All U.S. educational institutions that receive federal funds received the letter. 

Associate Professor of Political Science at Utica University Daniel Tagliarina said the letter misinterprets the Supreme Court case.

“The Dear Colleague Letter misreads and mis-represents what the one Supreme Court case it relies on is saying,” Tagliarina said. “It ignored what the majority opinion says in that case, it said that though some practices are found to be discriminatory, there are still things you can absolutely continue to do. The letter says that’s actually wrong and you can’t do those things anymore.”

Tagliarina said the letter delivers a message saying any attempt to address past wrongs or existing inequalities will be deemed as a violation.

“As for the future of Utica, we don’t really know yet,” Tagliarina said. 

A FAQ published by the Department of Education explained that the “Dear Colleague Letter” did not apply to curriculum. Taglairina said this means there should not be any course changes or changes regarding programs. 

“It does raise concerns for any of our cultural organizations and any of the scholarships or programs we have that are meant to benefit historically marginalized groups, because under the reading that the government has given us, those programs are illegal,” Tagliarina said.

Tagliarina added that because the letter stated that more guidance will come, he thinks that the most viable option would be to stand firm on the school’s principles and wait for further information. 

Since the release of the letter, Utica University made some changes on its website. When users try to access pages like DEI Collaborative, DEI Events or General Education, they are met with text that reads “access denied.” 

“Because the situation is evolving quickly, we still must be poised to pivot as we watch several legal challenges to the ‘Dear Colleague Letter’ unfold,” Utica’s President Todd Pfannestiel said in an email to the Utica University community. 

Evelyn Enriquez, a sophomore majoring in Political Science and a member of Fuerza Latina, said she has been keeping up on the topic and has been regularly talking about it to her peers.

“I read the ‘Dear Colleague Letter,’ and the way it presents people of color is heinous. DEI was made to give opportunities to those who were never given any opportunities to succeed,” Enriquez said. “I was never given opportunities to succeed until I went to a school with a DEI program.”

Enriquez also read Pfannestiel’s letter to the university community and was pleased with what he had to say.

“I am happy and proud to attend a university where the administration wants their students to feel included and have opportunities to succeed no matter the background they come from,” Enriquez said.

Staff Writer Megan Wright contributed to this story.