Schools Face Tough Choices: Cut Diversity Programs or Lose Federal Cash

Schools and universities across the US are in a tight spot. They have just two weeks to make a big decision. They can either keep their diversity programs or risk losing federal funding. This is all because of a new directive from the Trump administration. The education department wants schools to stop using race as a factor in admissions, financial aid, and hiring. This means no more treating students or workers differently based on their race. Schools are scrambling to figure out what this means for them. Some practices that have been around for a long time might now be considered illegal. The administration says this is about stopping discrimination in education. They believe schools have been using "diversity" as a way to discriminate against white and Asian students. But not everyone agrees. Some think this new rule is too vague and could stop schools from doing anything related to race, even if it's legal. The education department also cut $600 million in grants for teacher training programs. These programs were teaching things like diversity, equity, and inclusion, which the department calls "divisive" concepts. This move has caused a lot of confusion. Even the education secretary nominee, Linda McMahon, wasn't sure how this would affect classes on African American history.Schools are waiting for more guidance on what to do. Some are worried that complying with the new rules could mean losing federal funding. Others think their programs are already compliant with the law. The National Association for College Admission Counseling said colleges might have to choose between following the law and keeping their funding. The new guidance also affects college admissions. Schools can't use essays to guess a student's race. They also can't drop standardized testing requirements to achieve a certain racial balance. This could mean big changes for schools that have already dropped SAT and ACT requirements. Scholarships for students from certain racial backgrounds might also be affected. There's a lot of debate about whether the supreme court decision extends to financial aid. Some schools have already scrapped racial requirements for scholarships. The education department's memo seems to be targeting many common practices. Recruiting in underrepresented areas or buying lists of potential students with certain academic and demographic information could now be legal liabilities. Some universities, like Oregon State University, said they expect little change. They believe their programs are already compliant with the law. But others are worried about the uncertainty. The Trump administration has long been against diversity programs. The Doge team, led by Elon Musk, has been slashing contracts they deem wasteful. They recently won a legal victory, giving them access to federal student loan records.