Penn State president voices opposition to Trump order that targets diversity, inclusion programs
Penn State President Eric Barron voiced his opposition Thursday night to an executive order last month that is effectively forcing federal contractors, subcontractors and grant recipients — which includes institutions of higher learning — to halt their current diversity and inclusion programs.
Executive Order 13950, issued by President Donald Trump on Sept. 22, calls on entities receiving federal money to stop any programs or workshops that teach concepts such as white privilege and racism being interwoven into the fabric of America. Trump has referred to such ideas as “racist” and “teaching people that our country is a horrible place.”
As a result of the order, the University of Iowa has already “temporarily” halted such programs. A Penn State spokesperson said Friday the university has not suspended any of its own such programs.
Penn State is among the many universities represented in a recent three-page open letter by the American Council on Education — 53 groups, such as the Association of American Universities, signed on — that “strongly” opposed the order.
“The university has taken a position in signing on, and I think you will see us echo that position, that we have taken with all the other different higher education associations that have many, many universities speaking with the same voice,” Barron said Thursday during a virtual Q&A session about university issues.
He added, “The way we have discovered, especially in a political environment, to affect change is by signing on with our fellow universities in the AAU and ACE.”
Trump’s executive order follows a recent federal trend that many have found alarming. As noted by the New York Times, the Labor Department started an investigation into Microsoft’s commitment to double the number of Black employees in leadership posts by 2025, the Justice Department is suing Yale for discriminating against white and Asian-American applicants, and the Trump administration opened a civil rights investigation into Princeton after it publicly acknowledged a history of systemic racism.
Colleges and universities aren’t the only entities opposed to the executive order. Opposition is widespread; more than 150 business groups and coalitions also signed on to a similar letter — from the Aeronautical Repair Station Association to the Wyoming Nonprofit Network.
The criticism is the same. Many groups find the executive order to be confusing, overly broad, far-reaching and “chilling” on good-faith efforts to promote a more welcoming environment. Barron also read an excerpt Thursday night from ACE’s open letter to Trump.
“We strongly oppose race and sex stereotyping, which inhibits efforts to build more inclusive workplaces and communities,” he read. “But the timing, content, and discordant tone of your Executive Order is creating concern, confusion and uncertainty for federal contractors and grant recipients across the country.
“Higher education, our country’s business and military communities, and other sectors of American society fundamentally agree that promoting and enabling diversity and inclusion are essential to the long-term strength, economic competitiveness, and security of our nation. It is also the right thing to do.”
