University of Florida orders staff to end DEI-based activities from federal grants
Following President Trump's crackdown on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the federal government, the University of Florida announced that it will end any DEI-based federal grant initiatives.
The university’s administration has since sent an email to staff declaring that such programs and initiatives violate federal law, and should come to an immediate halt.
Following President Trump’s crackdown on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the federal government, the University of Florida announced that it will end any DEI-based federal grant initiatives.
The university’s administration has since sent an email to staff declaring that such programs and initiatives violate federal law, and should come to an immediate halt, according to The Independent Florida Alligator.
[RELATED: Dozens of Dept. of Ed. employees placed on leave following Trump’s anti-DEI order: REPORT]
“Any contract or grant activity that uses or promotes the use of DEIA principles and frameworks or violates Federal anti-discrimination laws should cease immediately,” the email from Vice President for Research David Norton reportedly reads.
The public university’s move signals its compliance with the new Trump administration.
UF’s email specifically comes in response to Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order, “Initial Recessions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions.” The action eliminated various Biden administration orders, including one on “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) in the Federal Workforce.”
“The injection of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI) into our institutions has corrupted them by replacing hard work, merit, and equality with a divisive and dangerous preferential hierarchy,” Trump’s order states.
Owen Girard, president of Florida State University’s Turning Point USA Chapter, told Campus Reform that he applauds UF for taking action against DEI.
“DEI has no place in education and I commend UF for shutting down the funding of this partisan, ideological agenda,” he said. “In reality, [DEI] seeks to undermine the traditions and structure of western academia by playing into vague, emotional social justice causes.”
Campus Reform has contacted the University of Florida for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
