University of Michigan Stops Soliciting DEI Statements for Hiring, Promotion

Students walk across the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Jan. 17, 2003. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

The University of Michigan has announced that it will no longer require diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statements for faculty hiring, promotion, and tenure decisions, marking a significant shift in its approach to DEI on campus.

Announced on Dec. 5, the decision followed an October recommendation by an eight-member faculty working group to end the requirement for DEI statements. The group reviewed faculty feedback and policies at peer institutions, concluding that such statements risk limiting freedom of expression and diversity of thought.

University Provost Laurie McCauley said that, despite the policy shift, diversity, equity, and inclusion remain core values at the University of Michigan and suggested that the institution will look for ways to weave DEI themes into its policies but in ways that are less controversial.

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are three of our core values at the university. Our collective efforts in this area have produced important strides in opening opportunities for all people,” McCauley said in a statement. “As we pursue this challenging and complex work, we will continuously refine our approach.”

The university had no institution-wide mandate for DEI statements, leaving individual departments discretion over their use. Critics, including faculty members who responded to a university-wide survey, said that the statements often acted as ideological “litmus tests,” pressuring candidates to espouse specific views.

“Critics of diversity statements perceive them as expressions of personal identity traits, support of specific ideology or opinions on socially-relevant issues, and serve as a ‘litmus test’ of whether a faculty member’s views are politically acceptable,” the working group wrote in a report that was cited in the university’s announcement. “Thus, as currently enacted, diversity statements have the potential to limit viewpoints and reduce diversity of thought among faculty members.”

While supporters of these changes say that DEI policies often impose ideological conformity, others see these rollbacks as a threat to principles like equity and inclusivity.

For example, a Dec. 3 petition with about a dozen signatures, as of the time of reporting, calls on the University of Michigan’s leaders to reconsider rolling back DEI on campus.

“A reversal on DEI jeopardizes the university’s commitment to developing an inclusive environment, which research shows is critical to students’ academic success and well-being,” reads the petition.

The university’s decision aligns with broader national trends as sectors including higher education, corporate America, and government reassess or roll back DEI-related policies under growing scrutiny.

Institutions like MIT and Harvard have also taken steps to eliminate similar DEI requirements in recent months. Meanwhile, major corporations, including Southwest Airlines and Walmart, are rolling back DEI initiatives under pressure from conservative activists and consumers.

Walmart, the world’s largest company by revenue, announced on Nov. 25 that it would discontinue several DEI-related programs. These include financing events aimed at LGBT youth and participation in the Human Rights Coalition’s Corporate Equality Index. The retail giant also plans to phase out its Supplier Inclusion program, which previously prioritized contracts with businesses owned by minorities, women, and LGBT individuals.

In a statement, Walmart emphasized its commitment to inclusivity while acknowledging the changes: “We’ve been on a journey and know we aren’t perfect, but every decision comes from a place of wanting to foster a sense of belonging, to open doors to opportunities for all our associates, customers, and suppliers and to be a Walmart for everyone.”

Conservative commentator Robby Starbuck praised the move as a “massive win” for those advocating for merit-based systems over ideological mandates.

The rollback of DEI policies also coincides with increased political pressure, particularly from conservatives, to end programs perceived as divisive. President-elect Donald Trump has been critical of DEI and his pick for the head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Brendan Carr, has vowed to halt the agency’s DEI initiatives.