DEI programs under attack

SANDUSKY — Diversity programs at Bowling Green State University and other state schools are facing a two-pronged attack from Republicans in Washington, D.C., and Columbus. The Trump administration has targeted diversity, equity and inclusion programs, also known as DEI, rolling them back for federal programs and for anyone receiving federal funding. In addition, a new bill introduced in the Ohio Senate seeks to eliminate DEI programs at state colleges and universities. What are they? DEI programs, such as the one at BGSU, seek to aid underrepresented and marginalized minorities, including Black people. Critics, however, say such programs discriminate against less-favored ethnic groups and should be abolished. BGSU, which has a main campus at Bowling Green and a local Firelands campus in the Huron area, has a division of inclusion and belonging. It is led by chief inclusion officer Katie Stygles. A division directory for the division on the BGSU website lists 28 employees. On Jan. 22, the Register asked BGSU's media office for statistics on how much money BGSU, a public university, spends on DEI programs and how many DEI employees the school has. As of midday Friday, the Register had not received a reply. Spending at other state schools apparently is significant. A December article from the Tampa Free Press stated that The Ohio State University spends about $13 million a year on diversity programs. Stygles gave a "2024 State of Diversity and Belonging" speech last year outlining the university's efforts to promote diversity. Her email signature says, "Bowling Green State University's campuses are situated on the homelands of the Wyandot, Kickapoo, Miami, Potawatomi, Odawa and multiple other Indigenous nations, present and past. This statement is a first step toward fostering an inclusive, respectful, and sustainable community." Admissions selectivity BGSU apparently has been able to avoid controversies over who is admitted to the school and who is not, a hot issue at other campuses seeking diversity. The school describes its admission policies as "selective," but admission to BGSU is less competitive than at elite institutions, such as Harvard University. According to U.S. News and World Report, BGSU has an acceptance rate of 81%. Harvard receives more than 40,000 applications a year for 2,000 available slots. Harvard was sued in a case eventually decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, "Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College." The lawsuit alleged that Harvard discriminated against Asian Americans. In a 6-2 ruling, the high court ruled that affirmative action in college admissions is illegal. BGSU requires students applying for admission to have a high school degree or the equivalent and to submit information on high school coursework, standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT, grade point average and graduation rank. Shortly after he took office, President Donald Trump issued a flurry of executive orders, including two attacks on DEI programs entitled, "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity" and "Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing." Both documents are available at whitehouse.gov. The orders, issued on Jan. 20 and 21, eliminate DEI programs in federal agencies and remove affirmative action preferences for companies that receive federal funds. In addition, schools and colleges that receive federal funds will be expected to end DEI programs. Meanwhile, state Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, has introduced Senate Bill 1, the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act. It's the new version of a controversial bill Cirino introduced in the last session which failed to pass. According to a press release issued by Cirino, his new measure bans Diversity, Equity and Inclusion courses, training, litmus tests, required statements and spending for any DEI initiatives or programs. "We want every student in Ohio — regardless of race, gender or religion — to be able to pursue their choice of post-secondary education," Cirino said. "However, DEI programs are inherently discriminatory and cannot be tolerated or paid for by taxpayers." The measure also has other controversial provisions, including a ban on faculty strikes at state universities. State Sen. Bill Reineke, R-Tiffin, is listed as one of the measure's co-sponsors. The measure, which also bans strikes by college faculty members, has been assigned to the Senate Higher Education Committee. Reineke is a member of the committee. Stygles did not respond when she was asked if she had a comment on the proposal. Meanwhile, Bowling Green State University has enjoyed an enrollment boom. Last fall, the school announced that it had 3,900 students in its freshman class with new student enrollment up 14% and enrollment at BGSU Firelands up 9%. BGSU announced on Tuesday that undergraduate enrollment for the spring semester was up 4.7% on the main campus and up nearly 10% on the Firelands campus. "On the 15th day of classes, overall spring 2025 enrollment at BGSU increased to 18,793 students, up from 18,124 last year," school officials said in a news release. School officials also released demographics for the Erie County BGSU campus in Huron and the main campus in Bowling Green. The Huron campus has 2,042 students, including 1,477 whites, 201 Blacks, 139 Hispanics, 15 Asians and small numbers of other ethnic groups. There were 100 without a specified racial group, and 96 listed two or more. The main campus had 16,751 total students, including 12,748 whites, 1,002 Blacks, 988 Hispanics, 228 Asians, 716 International students, 518 listed in two or more racial groups, 575 who did not specify, 18 Native Americans and six Hawaiians.