The prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States has disbanded its dedicated DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) office on campus.
On May 28 (local time), US broadcaster CBS reported that MIT had recently ceased operations of its dedicated DEI office and eliminated the position of vice president in charge of DEI.
MIT explained that the decision to disband the DEI office was based on an 18-month review of its operations. This has led to speculation both on and off campus that MIT's decision was made with the Donald Trump administration in mind. There are claims that, unlike neighboring Harvard University in Boston?which refused the Trump administration's demand to abolish DEI policies and subsequently faced retaliatory measures such as the suspension of federal funding?MIT preemptively took action out of a sense of crisis.
Previously, the Trump administration, citing the need to eradicate antisemitism on campus, demanded that Harvard University abolish DEI policies and grant the government oversight authority over admissions and faculty hiring. However, Harvard University refused, citing academic freedom.
In particular, Harvard University publicly released the official letter from the Trump administration requesting changes to university policies and expressed its opposition. In response, the Trump administration not only suspended $2.6 billion in federal funding but also announced retaliatory measures such as canceling visas for international students. Although a federal court temporarily halted these actions by granting Harvard University’s request for an injunction, the legal battle is not yet fully resolved.
The suspension of research funding and the cancellation of international student visas are viewed by the academic community as threats to the competitiveness of not only Harvard University but all US universities. In a notice sent to the MIT community on May 22, MIT President Sally Kornbluth stated, "MIT is a university that thrives on talent," and emphasized, "Our success depends on attracting the best talent from diverse backgrounds both domestically and internationally, and supporting them so they can succeed."
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