Image on left taken from Gov. Youngkin’s official governor’s website.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin praised the University of Virginia’s commitment to end its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) office.
“The Board of Visitors voted for common sense, saying ‘no’ to illegal discrimination and ‘yes’ to merit-based opportunity,” said Gov. Youngkin in a Friday press release. “DEI is done at the University of Virginia. We stand for the universal truth that everyone is created equal, and opportunity is at the heart of Virginians’ and Americans’ future.”
According to the press release, the University’s decision was made “in compliance with Executive Order 14173, federal law, and any new guidance from federal authorities.”
The executive order in question is “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” which President Donald Trump signed on Jan. 21. The order ends DEI in the federal government and in related contractors.
Since President Trump’s executive order, several colleges and universities have taken action to abolish, rename, or change their DEI offices and other programs.
On Feb. 27, Iowa’s Board of Regents ordered the state’s public colleges and universities to scrub DEI from their websites.
[RELATED: $80M DOGE find at DoD uncovers more wasteful spending tied to higher ed]
Northwestern University and the University of Alaska have taken similar actions following Trump’s order.
East Carolina University also revealed that its students will no longer be forced to take classes related to DEI.
When asked for comment, a spokesperson from Gov. Youngkin’s office pointed Campus Reform to the governor’s press release, as well as an interview with Fox News’s Laura Ingraham, during which the governor reiterated that “DEI is done at the University of Virginia.” He added that “this is a huge step to restoring the values of Mr. [Thomas] Jefferson, who founded the university, who understood that we are all created equal. And that’s exactly what this is about: ending illegal discrimination, and restoring merit-based opportunity.”
Campus Reform has reached out to the University of Virginia for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
This article was originally published at campusreform.org
Author
