File photo
The decision comes despite an August federal court ruling that blocked Trump administration guidance threatening schools with loss of federal funding for maintaining diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The administration has since pivoted to offering universities expanded funding access through a voluntary compact that includes banning race and gender considerations in admissions and hiring. To date, seven institutions have rejected the agreement, and none have accepted.
As a federally designated minority-serving institution, UIC serves more than 35,000 students, with over one-third identifying as Hispanic or Latino and approximately one-fifth as Asian. The policy changes raise questions about how the institution will maintain its commitment to serving diverse student populations.
Under the new guidelines, all donor-funded and institutionally funded scholarships must be reviewed and revised to exclude consideration of applicants' race, color, national origin, and sex or gender. Scholarships already awarded or approved before October 14 will remain unaffected.
Additionally, faculty members will no longer be permitted to submit diversity, equity, and inclusion statements as part of their tenure applications.
The Trump administration has cited the 2023 Supreme Court decision that outlawed race-based affirmative action in college admissions to justify its broader campaign against DEI programs. However, legal scholars argue that the Supreme Court's ruling does not extend to financial aid decisions.
Universities nationwide have faced research funding freezes and uncertainty under the current administration's aggressive targeting of programs designed to support underrepresented and marginalized students. The administration has framed race-conscious scholarships as discriminatory against white students, despite their role in addressing historical and systemic educational inequities.
