The College Fix

Staff’s ‘day-to-day work has not changed,’ dean says

The University of Maine is the latest college to close its diversity, equity, and inclusion office following President Donald Trump’s executive order banning DEI programs funded by the federal government.

“In consideration of the recent executive order by the Trump Administration,” UMaine “officially renamed the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) to the Office of Community Connections (OCC),” The Maine Campus reported.

ODI previously hosted closed events for students of specific demographics, such as Women of Color Wednesday and LGBTQ Game Night. Although most programs were open to all students, the office is no longer permitted to organize or advertise events targeting specific groups.

The office also previously offered period products, contraceptives, pregnancy tests, and Plan B. Now, “pregnancy tests and Plan B will only be available at the Student Wellness Resource Center, although this change is allegedly unrelated to the executive DEI order,” the student newspaper reported.

The main change is the language used to describe the organization and its associated offices, including the Multicultural Student Center, the Rainbow Resource Center, and the Intersectional Feminist Resource Center.

ODI’s website stated that it aimed to support “students from historically underrepresented identities, including but not limited to sexuality, race, gender identity, spirituality, ethnicity, ability, religion, nationality, socio-economic status, and others.” This language has since been removed.

Now, the OCC’s website states that “By integrating student support, education, and community-building, the office creates meaningful opportunities for collaboration and personal growth.”

Interim Dean of Students Andrea Gifford said at a student reception on March 6 that discussions about rebranding the ODI had been underway prior to Trump’s executive order banning DEI, the student newspaper reported.

“The three lounge areas that we have that are student lounges in the Union, their names have not changed, their purpose has not changed. The office, and the staff and the students that are dedicated to working there, their day-to-day work has not changed,” Gifford said.

“My words to people are ‘Try not focusing so much on the words, and focus on the work.’ That is not changing,” she said.

This shift comes after a federal investigation into Maine’s stance on men competing in women’s sports was launched, jeopardizing the school’s funding.

The investigation was triggered by Governor Janet Mills’ comments at the White House on Feb. 21, suggesting she would not follow Trump’s orders. With a significant portion of the university’s funding at stake, the ODI quickly made changes.

Similarly, the University of Southern California recently shuttered its DEI office. However, the university continues to offer racially themed graduation parties and dorm sections for black, Latino and LGBTQ students, The College Fix previously reported.

MORE: West Point disbands 12 student groups following Trump’s DEI executive order

IMAGE: The University of Maine/Youtube

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