The Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently announced plans to shutter its diversity, equity, and inclusion office, becoming the latest institution to roll back such initiatives during the Trump administration.
The university said it would “wind down” the Institute Community and Equity Office, MIT President Sally Kornbluth wrote last week in a letter to the MIT community.
Several of the office’s initiatives will be spun off to other departments, she said.
Kornbluth said the university “remains deeply committed to the pursuit of inclusive excellence.”
Despite the “real appreciation” for existing diversity programs, an internal review found “a broad desire to rethink how this work is done in practice,” she said.
The announcement comes as many universities and other institutions restructure, revamp, or eliminate their DEI programs following demands from the Trump administration that recipients of federal contracts and grants eliminate DEI programs.
The administration has demanded that nearby Harvard University drop its diversity programs as part of an unprecedented pressure campaign against the Ivy League school.
In February, MIT announced that its first-ever vice president for equity and inclusion, Karl Reid, would leave his role at the head of the equity office after just over a year.
“Obviously, this change comes at a time when colleges and universities are being scrutinized for how they manage and support their communities,” Kornbluth said at the time.
After Reid’s departure, Kornbluth commissioned a working group of senior faculty and staff to review the university’s DEI programs.
The group presented its recommendations to the university’s academic council last month, Kornbluth said in her letter.
”Our success depends on attracting exceptionally talented people of every background, from across the country and around the world, and making sure everyone at MIT feels welcome and supported, so they can do their best work and thrive,” she said.
MIT will also eliminate the position of vice president for equity and inclusion, Kornbluth said.
Kimberly Allen, an MIT spokesperson, said Thursday the university had conducted an 18-month assessment of the equity office, starting with Reid’s hiring in January 2024.
She added that the university’s commitment to attracting diverse talent is “unwavering.”
The equity office will be replaced by a standing committee intended to promote community building and support, Kornbluth said. The committee will be led by staff but also include students and faculty with “a clear channel to senior leadership,” she said.
Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.
