MTSU Makes Plans To End DEI Programs After President Trump’s Executive Order & New Tennessee Law

Image Credit: Middle Tennessee State University / Facebook

The Tennessee Conservative Staff –

In the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive order to end Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs at universities, as well as the state’s “Dismantling DEI Departments Act,” Middle Tennessee State University has begun to discontinue those programs on their campus.

According to an email sent by MTSU President Sidney McPhee on June 10, “the parameters of the president’s executive orders and Tennessee law requires us to reevaluate our operations to ensure that we remain in compliance around how we support students, nonacademic programs, and some academic support programs.”

McPhee outlines a number of changes that will be taking place:

• Programs that explicitly focus on DEI will be restructured or eliminated altogether.
• All references to DEI will be removed from MTSU webpages and all university publications.
• Scholarship programs that have criteria that include DEI will be adjusted.
• Sponsorships and support of any programs or initiatives related to DEI will be eliminated.

Reportedly, the university is looking into ways to provide support to students and minimize disruptions while conducting a “comprehensive review” of all programs.

University spokesman Andrew Oppmann says a final list of all changes will be made public once that review has been completed.

Trump’s executive order requires institutions of higher learning to comply or they will be at risk of losing federal funding.

It has been recently noted that some universities, including Vanderbilt University, have appeared to comply with the regulations but have instead continued to keep some of those programs and offices in service, attempting to hide them. U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn recently called out VUMC for their failure to be in full compliance.