Despite Trump's order, a surprising number of DEI programs remain 'active' at colleges and universities
A new investigation tracking the current state of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at colleges and universities from conservative nonprofit Defending Education found that there are still 383 "currently active" DEI offices and programs, with 243 universities maintaining institution-wide DEI offices or programming.
Defending Education, formerly known as Parents Defending Education, is a nationwide grassroots organization that works to "fight indoctrination in classrooms and on campus to promote the reestablishment of a quality, non-political education for all students."
In addition to tracking those DEI offices and programs that are still active, the group's investigation also highlighted that Defending Education uncovered dozens of schools that have taken steps to rebrand or reorganize their DEI efforts, as opposed to shutting them down like others have done.
At least 27 universities, colleges or schools within such institutions have taken steps to do this, according to the investigation. Meanwhile, in "a few cases," schools have moved their online DEI resources behind password-protected web pages, Defending Education also pointed out.
"DEI evangelists at federally funded institutions are hiding race discrimination in an effort to violate federal law and think they won't be found out. But our latest report demonstrates they already have been," said Sarah Parshall Perry, Defending Education Vice President and Legal Fellow, who has extensive legal experience in the higher education realm. "Despite a very clear directive from the White House to end 'DEI' practices, too many institutions of higher education have simply sent their discrimination underground by renaming or reorganizing race-based initiatives and DEI offices."
Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is an example of one of the universities that has been accused of attempting to hide their DEI resources.
In response to the accusations, a VUMC spokesperson told Fox News Digital at the time that it was undergoing "a thorough review" of its programs to figure out "where revisions may be required to remain in compliance, including updating information on websites and other public platforms."
However, today, offices such as the Office of Health Equity, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the Office for Diversity Affairs are seemingly still active, according to Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.
The White House blasted some of the nation's premier universities for "egregious illegal behavior," after Harvard refused to comply with Trump administration demands related to ending their DEI programs. Amid Harvard's refusal to comply, the administration revealed this week that it would freeze more than $2 billion in federal funding for the institution.
During a press briefing this week, when asked why federal funding was so available to premier Ivy League institutions like Harvard, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was a question President Donald Trump frequently ponders himself.
"It's a question the president has obviously raised in his discussions," Leavitt said. "I think a lot of Americans are wondering why their tax dollars are going to these universities when they are not only indoctrinating our nation's students, but also allowing such egregious illegal behavior to occur."
Perry told Fox News Digital that Defending Education will not stop looking for "discrimination" in higher education, in an effort to make the guarantee of a "colorblind education" for every American student a reality "once and for all."
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not hear back by time of publication.
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