East Carolina University to no longer require DEI for students to graduate

East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina has announced that students will no longer be required to meet certain Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) requirements in order to graduate. 

The University announced the change on Tuesday, saying all previously-mandated DEI coursework will no longer be required.

[RELATED: North Carolina eliminates DEI offices, citing Rutgers study on its negative impacts]

This includes both general education courses and other classes.  

The University has made this decision due to changes in federal contracts, following President Donald Trump’s executive order abolishing DEI in the federal government and, by extension, with federal contractors. 

Several universities have eliminated or curbed DEI following Trump’s executive order. 

Missouri State University, for example, announced on Jan. 29 the end of DEI at the school, which meant the abolishing of its DEI office as well as associated events. 

Rutgers University also canceled a DEI-related “HBCUs and Registered Apprenticeship Mini-Conference,” citing Trump’s anti-DEI executive order.  

The retreat of DEI is not just limited to higher education. 

Google also recently revealed it will end some DEI-related hiring goals that it originally vowed to meet following the 2020 race riots. 

[RELATED: DEI requirements at state universities cost $1.8 billion every four years, report claims]

An official from the tech giant told Campus Reform: “We’re committed to creating a workplace where all our employees can succeed and have equal opportunities, and over the last year we’ve been reviewing our programs designed to help us get there. We’ve updated our 10-k language to reflect this, and as a federal contractor, our teams are also evaluating changes required following recent court decisions and executive orders on this topic.”

Campus Reform has reached out to East Carolina University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.