James Madison becomes next Virginia university to dismantle its DEI division

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- James Madison University's (JMU) Board of Visitors voted to dissolve its Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) on Friday, making it the next in a line of Virginia universities that have done the same.

During its scheduled meeting on Friday, April 11, the board unanimously approved a resolution that immediately did away with the university's Division of DEI.

Additional action items included the following:

• Ensure that all university programs, policies, practices and actions comply with federal civil rights laws like Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution
• Ensure there are "no efforts to circumvent prohibitions on the use of race by relying on proxies or other indirect means to accomplish such ends"
• Ensure the university does not work with third-party vendors or contractors "in an effort to circumvent prohibited uses of race"

Functions of the now-dissolved Division of DEI will be evaluated and, if determined to be in compliance with federal civil rights laws, will be reassigned to other university divisions.

JMU's Division of DEI had multiple offices, including the Office of Equal Opportunity, which "administer[ed] JMU’s commitment to promoting equal opportunity, compliance and adherence to relevant federal and state laws for the entire JMU community," per its website.

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It also included the Office of Inclusive Excellence & Engagement, which had a mission to "assist and lead in creating an inclusive environment for faculty, staff and students."

Initiatives related to JMU's Division of DEI included a "Campus Climate Study," an "Inclusive Event Planners Alliance" and a "Freedom of Expression Series," among others.

"James Madison University highly values diversity, including diversity of thought and experience, and fosters an inclusive environment, encouraging a culture of opportunity for all -- all of which immensely enrich our campus," one board member said, reading from the resolution. "[JMU] is committed to providing every student an education that is free from discrimination and ground[ed] in merit."

The board said it was "committed to complying with the law" while still being an "inclusive community."

This shift away from DEI in higher education comes after President Donald Trump’s Jan. 21 executive order called “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.” In that order, Trump demanded that all federal departments and agencies eliminate their DEI policies.

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Like other Virginia universities that have made this move, the JMU Board of Visitors cited a letter sent out by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) on Feb. 14 -- as well as a supplemental March 1 communication -- as a contributing factor in its decision.

That letter, as described by the University of Virginia (UVA) in its own DEI-dismantling resolution, was meant to “clarify and affirm the nondiscrimination obligations of institutions receiving federal funds.” The March 1 communication, a Frequently Asked Questions, aimed to address any questions raised by the letter and to “facilitate compliance.”

In addition to UVA, other Virginia universities that have already dissolved their respective DEI departments include Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech. The state board that oversees Virginia's community colleges has also done the same.

JMU's president is to provide the Board of Visitors with an update on compliance efforts at its meeting in June.