The governing body responsible for Mississippi’s public universities has decided to remove the term “diversity” from multiple policies, including the evaluation criteria for university presidents regarding campus diversity outcomes. This decision was made during a vote on Thursday, despite the absence of recent legislative actions aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in higher education. According to the board, the main reason for these changes was to maintain compliance with both state and federal laws.

This vote follows the re-election of former President Donald Trump and comes after several educational institutions in Mississippi have modified the names of their diversity offices. Earlier in the year, institution trustees approved alterations to the mission and vision statements of the University of Southern Mississippi, explicitly removing terms like “diverse” and “inclusiveness.” In an email response, the communications director of the Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) did not address the specific questions concerning policy modifications, but he emphasized the board’s commitment to providing quality education supported by exceptional faculty and staff.

Sewell mentioned that the ultimate aim is to support all students and ensure they graduate well-prepared for the workforce, ideally within Mississippi. The trustees approved the policy alterations without any discussion, following an initial reading by legal affairs associate commissioner Harold Pizzetta. However, Sewell indicated that the board had previously deliberated on these amendments during an open retreat held two months prior in Meridian, far from their usual meeting spot in Jackson.

IHL frequently utilizes these retreats—unlike regular open sessions, these are not livestreamed and typically see minimal attendance from the public—to discuss sensitive policy changes. For instance, last year, there was a vigorous discussion around a proposed increase in oversight for off-campus programs during a retreat at a hotel in Biloxi. Similarly, during a 2022 retreat in Meridian, trustees debated modifications to the board’s tenure policies, with Mississippi Today being the only publication present to observe.

The revisions to IHL’s diversity policies reflect a broader trend seen in conservative states, where institutions are shifting focus away from traditional diversity definitions in favor of terms like “access” and “opportunity.” Historically, “diversity, equity and inclusion” has encompassed various initiatives aimed at fulfilling civil rights obligations while fostering a sense of community for underrepresented groups on campus. Recently, conservative leaders have criticized DEI programs as financially burdensome and discriminatory. While a proposed bill to eliminate funding for DEI initiatives in Mississippi failed earlier this year, more than ten other states have enacted laws restricting or abolishing similar programs at public universities.

The term “diversity” made its first appearance in IHL policies back in 1998, with an accompanying diversity statement adopted in 2005 and later modified in 2013. Following the board’s latest vote, the previously existing diversity statement has been completely replaced with a new directive focusing on higher education access and success. The former diversity statement had highlighted the strength of Mississippi’s varied population and its enriching effect on education and student development in a multicultural setting.

One significant aspect of the former diversity statement was its requirement for the IHL board to evaluate university leaders based on diversity outcomes. This statement also outlined several overarching goals, such as increasing the enrollment and graduation rates of minority students and hiring more underrepresented faculty and staff—all of which the board has not clarified if they have successfully achieved. Sewell has not provided answers regarding whether these goals will continue to be evaluated or if presidents will be assessed based on diversity metrics.

In the recent revision, the previous requirements have been substituted with two paragraphs stressing the importance of respectful dialogue on campuses and ensuring that all Mississippians have access to higher education. The new policy promotes meaningful discussions aimed at fostering critical thinking and enhancing character development among students. Additionally, it emphasizes that all students should be supported through programs and services designed to positively impact their academic success and graduation rates.

The board also eliminated a policy that highlighted shared characteristics of Mississippi universities, which included commitments to ethnic and gender diversity. Another amendment affected scholarship policies, actively removing references that mandates such programs to promote diversity. Presently, the modified scholarship policy articulates that IHL aims to foster higher education access and success for all demographics in Mississippi to meet state goals for enrollment and degree achievement and to nurture a skilled workforce.

Finally, it was decided that universities must now review their institutional mission statements each year. Interestingly, a planning principles policy will still mention “diverse,” and a policy that mandates presidential search committees be representative in terms of diversity remains intact.