The Real March Madness: Slashing DEI and Jobs While America Watches the Game
- Ella Daniels
- Mar 20
- 3 min read
Imagine walking onto a university campus where offices once dedicated to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives now stand vacant, their doors closed indefinitely. The students who once needed guidance, support, and a sense of place from these offices find only silence. It’s a stark contrast to the energy and excitement filling campuses across the country right now. While students and alumni cheer for their teams during March Madness, the real madness is happening off the court, as the Trump administration intensifies its campaign against DEI programs, cutting funding and jobs with the force of a full-court press.
This is part of a broader agenda that frames DEI efforts as promoting “immoral and illegal discrimination, ” claiming that they foster unfair advantages based on race and gender. As a result, thousands of jobs are on the line, programs are being dismantled, and the future of American research is at risk.
At the heart of the administration’s policy is the saying that DEI programs create something called “reverse discrimination,” essentially prioritizing certain groups and disadvantaging others. This has led to reforms aimed at purging DEI programs and resources from federal institutions and public universities, with the threat of funding cuts as a major force.
In January, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a plan to investigate
over 50 colleges for alleged racial discrimination tied to DEI policies. The administration
also issued a memo directing all federal agencies to eliminate DEI offices, training
programs, and hiring practices perceived to favor underrepresented groups. Failure to
comply comes with immense cost: the loss of federal funding, which makes up a substantial
portion of more than half of public institutions’ budgets.
Some universities have already faced the consequences. For example, Columbia University was forced to undergo a government overhaul to avoid losing federal support. Likewise, Johns Hopkins University saw almost 2,000 jobs cut following an $800 million reduction in grants, which dismantled its research programs- even though it’s the top institution for medical innovations in this nation.
While the impact on educational funding is significant, the broader consequence is the
loss of jobs in different areas of the public sector. The Trump administration’s anti-DEI agenda has triggered a domino effect, which froze all aspects of government hires.
Universities and public institutions like those in the University of North Carolina (UNC)
system, are being forced to scale back DEI efforts under the threat of losing federal grants.
This means that schools are forced to re-write their curriculums and make US DEI classes
no longer a part of such. There have been major changes and consequences in other
aspects of the schools. For example, Duke University is facing a hiring freeze in multiple
departments due to reduced funding, while cutting back on student support services
previously run through DEI offices.
Also, graduate students, who rely on DEI grants and fellowships, are now facing
reduced funding opportunities, making it harder for them to pursue their studies in a
financially sustainable way.
The Department of Defense (DoD) has also been affected. As part of the broader
federal DEI purge, the Pentagon announced plans to cut between 50,000 and 60,000
civilian jobs, amounting to approximately 5-8% of its workforce.
This is especially concerning for veterans, who make up a substantial portion of the
federal workforce. The Disabled American Veterans group condemned the cuts as a
“gut punch” to former service members, many of whom rely on federal employment for
economic stability.
The ED is also undergoing massive restructuring, with plans to cut nearly 50% of its workforce. The removal of DEI programs means the loss of initiatives aimed at fostering inclusive learning environments. Without these, curriculums become less diverse, history is erased and wiped out for years, support systems disappear, and there is a loss of life
and community on campus.
Losing DEI programs and jobs in the public sector results in thousands of lost employment opportunities in higher education, the military, and public service. In addition to the economic burden, this impairs educational quality, pushes back years of historical achievements, and inhibits research innovation.
But the true cost is in the potential loss: the unsupported students, the unemployed
veterans, and the prospective leaders whose futures are cut short.
And while we sit in crowded bars and living rooms, cheering on last-minute baskets and
filling out brackets, this is happening. This isn’t just a hypothetical; it’s happening right
now, whether we’re watching or not.
Photo Credit:
[Header]: Made on Canva with Clippings from: Fox News, CNN, NewsNation, and CBSNews
[Embedded 1]: Ananya Kedia | The Michigan Daily
[Embedded 2]: Evan Vucci | AP
Sources:
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