BUZZ
Key Takeaways
- Clemson University removed a DEI assignment from a chemical engineering class after attracting criticism from conservative leaders. A university spokesperson said the assignment was listed in "error."
- The required DEI training included lessons about "unconscious bias," "anti-racism," and "intersectionality" in STEM.
- 'The syllabus has been adjusted and students will be notified of the error,' a university spokesperson told The College Fix.
Clemson University confirmed Wednesday that it has removed a diversity, equity, and inclusion assignment from a chemical engineering class after the requirement caught the attention of the U.S. Assistant Attorney General and other Republican lawmakers.
“We are aware a syllabus for one section of a chemical and biomolecular engineering upper level course contained incorrect information regarding a DEI requirement,” university spokesperson Joe Galbraith told The College Fix.
“The syllabus has been adjusted and students will be notified of the error,” Galbraith said in an email Wednesday. Clemson is a public university in South Carolina.
The assignment sparked backlash Tuesday after the conservative Libs of TikTok account posted a screenshot of it on X.
Sent to me by a follower. @ClemsonUniv is REQUIRING students to complete a DEI certificate worth 15% of the grade!
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 9, 2025
They’re blatantly violating Trump’s EOs. DEFUND! @usedgov @CivilRights @AAGDhillon pic.twitter.com/chR2INgaum
According to the screenshot, the class assignments include AIChE DEI certificates, which are worth 15 percent of the student’s grade.
The “Safety, Environmental and Professional Practice I” class is a senior year requirement for a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering, according to the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering website.
The DEI certificates appear to be offered through the AIChE Institute for Learning & Innovation. According to the institute, the certificates “raise awareness” about why DEI matters and “how it impacts STEM.”
To obtain the certificates, students must participate in three online courses that discuss “unconscious bias,” “anti-racism,” and “intersectionality” in STEM. Students also learn “how to create a safe and welcoming scientific environment,” according to the institute website.
Galbraith did not respond to a follow-up email from The Fix asking if the DEI certificates were a class requirement in the past and, if so, for how long.
The course requirement quickly caught the attention of state and federal politicians, including U.S. Rep. Russell Fry, a Republican who represents South Carolina.
U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon also noticed, writing, “Come on now Clemson….” on X.
The Trump administration has been putting pressure on taxpayer-funded universities to end DEI, including hiring pledges, trainings, and programs focused on the concept.
At least 177 campuses have either closed or renamed their DEI offices in recent years in response to demands from Republican-controlled state lawmakers and the second Trump administration, according to a College Fix tally.
These include Clemson, which renamed its Office of Inclusion and Equity to the Division of Community, Engagement, Belonging, and Access.
Clemson also is one of dozens of universities under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights for alleged “race-exclusionary practices” in its graduate programs.
In 2019, the university’s College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences faced criticism when it initiated racial quota goals for faculty hiring and student enrollment rates, The Fix reported at the time.
