Colleges Bow to Trump's DEI Crackdown, Censor Black Student Graduations

DEI Crackdown and Affinity Graduations

• 🎯 Affinity graduations, optional ceremonies for students sharing culture, race, or orientation, are being canceled or losing support at universities nationwide.
• ⚠️ This pullback is attributed to the Trump administration's crackdown on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.
• 💡 Universities like Harvard, Kentucky University, and Ohio University have stopped financial support and campus access for these events, surprising student organizers.
• 🎓 These events are student-organized and have been a long-standing tradition, even at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for international students.

Institutional Response and Student Impact

• 🏛️ Dr. Rashad Richey questions why institutions like Harvard would cancel these events, noting that financial support for student organizations is typically part of university bylaws.
• 📚 A Harvard senior, Elise Martin Smith, expressed disappointment, stating the university often prioritizes PR over student concerns, forcing her to scramble for a new venue while studying for finals.
• ⚖️ It remains unclear if the withdrawal of support is directly linked to Harvard's investigation under the "false claims act" regarding affirmative action rulings, though the connection is questioned.
• 🚫 Even affinity ceremonies for first-generation college students were canceled by Kentucky University, possibly due to the perceived high percentage of Black students in that group.

Contrasting University Actions and Legacy Program Cuts

• ✨ Some universities, like Fresno State and University of Nevada, Reno, are still hosting affinity graduations for various student groups, including Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and LGBTQ+ students.
• 📉 The National Science Foundation (NSF) has cut $3.5 million from the University of Alabama's legacy program, a mentorship and tech training initiative for Black girls, putting it on hold.
• 🚀 This legacy program, a collaboration between predominantly white and historically black colleges, aimed to support 600 students with mentorship and tech training, addressing the underrepresentation of Black women in tech.
• 📊 Early results from a pilot program showed strong outcomes, with 72% of participating Black girls scoring high on AP exams, outperforming national averages.

Public Reaction and Bigotry

• 😡 Online reactions to a Black graduate refusing to stand for the national anthem have been overwhelmingly negative, with comments suggesting deportation and labeling the student as lazy and entitled.
• 💬 Dr. Richey highlights the racist nature of these responses, while also praising the student as a "beautiful soul" and "true leader."
• 🗣️ Jackson White criticizes institutions for capitulating to the Trump administration, suggesting it would be better to uphold values and principles, especially since the administration's term is limited.
• 🚩 The actions are seen as clear evidence of the Trump administration's bigotry, aiming to silence or eliminate anything that doesn't highlight white America or that elevates people of color, women, or the LGBTQ+ community.