DU scales back DEI programs to avoid losing federal funding

By Evan Kruegel | Denver Gazette

Chancellor Jeremy Haefner said he's concerned DU's access to federal funding could be at risk if it doesn't comply

The University of Denver is scaling back its diversity, equity and inclusion work as it moves to comply with new directives from the Trump administration.

In an interview with 9NEWS, Chancellor Jeremy Haefner said DU will no longer provide DEI training for staff and will end scholarships and programs once offered exclusively to students of specific racial groups.

Haefner said the university previously had “gifts and scholarships that were directed towards protected classes that the Department of Justice memo has really now clearly articulated as unlawful.”

Other colleges have already seen federal funding frozen or pulled after the DOJ deemed certain DEI programs as unlawful discrimination. Haefner said that has not happened at DU, but he is concerned access to federal scholarship money and research grant funding could be at risk if DU doesn’t comply.

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