The University of Minnesota Law School paused its search for a new assistant dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) as the University reassessed its DEI programs Jan. 31.
The pause came just two weeks after President Donald Trump’s executive order to ban DEI initiatives in any programs receiving federal funding. The order also called for all federal DEI staff to be put on paid leave with the expectation of their eventual layoffs.
The executive order followed by the hiring pause prompted reactions from students and faculty on what might happen on campus.
Emmanuel Mauleón, an associate professor at the Law School, said most people were shocked by the announcement to pause the hiring process since they were still engaged in the hiring process and had planned to interview candidates that week. Mauleón said he thinks University President Rebecca Cunningham understands removing the assistant dean position does not mean the assistant dean’s work disappears.
“When the position evaporates, it’s not like the support that those students need evaporates,” Mauleón said. “It just begins to get spread out amongst the professors with which students feel comfortable approaching these issues.”
Mauleón said the pause creates more vulnerability for the people DEI programming was intended to support in the first place.
Mauleón and three dozen faculty members sent letters to Cunningham last Thursday asking for the position to be reinstated.
“That was just something that the faculty organized in support of the position and in support of our students, frankly, because our students have been demanding action from the faculty,” Mauleón said. “There hasn’t been communication between the president’s office and the faculty.”
Mauleón said his meetings with students have increased in the past week, and that it has been difficult since the announcement. He said students feel like they have been sold a false promise with several students coming to the law school specifically because of its commitment to DEI.
Samia Abdulle, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Director, said she is optimistic Trump’s executive order will not cause as much harm as Trump anticipates.
Abdulle said the order has not affected the Committee’s work and added the University has taken certain steps to make sure DEI is protected within the University and believes DEI is not going anywhere in Minnesota.
The Law School hiring freeze disappointed Abdulle, but she said it did not surprise her. She believes cutting federal funding in any capacity will hurt students more than help them.
Abdulle said she wished the University was more communicative with students likely to be impacted by the rollbacks, but understands the University is facing a loss of federal funding and federal pushback.
“I honestly think that was just like they were just a little bit scared, and they were just doing what they could to just keep their federal funding,” Abdulle said. “They were doing what they thought was the safest option and the most conservative option, but that does not mean that I’m not disappointed.”
Council of Graduate Students (COGS) President Cal Mergendahl said COGS needs enhanced communication from the University.
Mergendahl said COGS values its relationship with administration, but there is a lot of fear and concern with the absence of clear and effective communication from the University.
“That fear is going to proliferate, it’s going to turn into panic, it’s going to turn into paranoia and that’s just not a healthy thing for the campus,” Mergendahl said. “I think it’s something that as a student leader, I personally think we should address. And I think COGS in general, has generally been of the opinion in the past that if and when things happen, the University should do its best to keep the students, keep our constituents informed as much as we can.”
Dylan Young, a graduate student at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs and Board of Regent Candidate, said there is a climate of uncertainty among the student body at this time.
Young, a Native American student who graduated from the University of Minnesota-Morris, said DEI programming has been pivotal to his education and personal journey in life.
“I think that my experience as a student has been greatly enriched by being able to meet people from diverse perspectives, and be exposed to ideas that I otherwise wouldn’t have been exposed to from back home,” Young said. “I think without DEI, there would be a lot of students that simply don’t have that.”
Young said as he sees other institutions back away from DEI and roll back their initiatives, it presents the University with an opportunity to stay true to DEI.
“It shows that we have a backbone,” Young said. “It shows that we stand for what we stand for, and whatever is happening at the White House doesn’t change that. It shows that our college campuses are ones that will prepare students for the real world better than our other competitors.”
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that Emmanuel Mauleón thinks the Law School Dean William McGeveran understands removing the assistant dean position does not mean the assistant dean’s work disappears. Mauleón was referring to Cunningham, not McGeveran.
A previous version of this article listed Samia Abdulle’s last name incorrectly. Other edits have been made for clarity.