Duke administrators announced a new approach to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, supported by a recently established “inclusive excellence working group.” The plan centers on inclusive excellence “within the bounds of the law” and ensures that University programming is “open to all” members of the community.
Kimberly Hewitt, vice president for institutional equity and chief diversity officer, shared that Duke had formed the working group in early April “to consider and respond” to federal changes on diversity, equity and inclusion policy. The announcement came in a Wednesday webinar featuring remarks from Mary Pat McMahon, vice provost and vice president of student affairs, Antwon Lofton, vice president of human resources and chief human resources officer, and Hewitt.
The working group will provide “recommended guidance to support Duke programs and activities” with a focus on certain subject matter areas, including affinity groups, employment and fundraising training.
“… Duke programs and activities should be inclusive, welcoming and open to all members of the community, without regard for race, sex or any other protected characteristic, except in some limited circumstances where that is allowed under the law,” Hewitt said. She explained that “protected characteristics” include race, gender, religion and disability status.Hewitt emphasized that while all programming must remain accessible to everyone, a program’s mission can still center around supporting a particular community, pointing to examples like an employee resource group or an affinity group committed to addressing the underrepresentation of women in STEM.
Hewitt added that the working group will support “broad-based outreach and recruitment” in admissions and other programs in order to “achieve the broadest possible pool of talent and potential applicants.”The admissions guidance comes almost two months after the Department of Education announced Duke as one of the 45 higher education institutions under investigation for allegedly engaging in “race-exclusionary practices” in its graduate programs. The investigation came as a result of the University’s partnership with the Ph.D. Project, an organization aimed at helping students from underrepresented backgrounds obtain business degrees.
The University previously discontinued its Reginaldo Howard Memorial Scholarship Program — a full-ride merit scholarship program for select Black students — in the wake of the 2023 Supreme Court decision that ended affirmative action.Hewitt went on to urge the Duke community to be particularly conscious of the titles they use for programming and training. She said that rather than “focusing on particular words or acronyms,” the working group is strongly recommending community groups to choose names that “really emphasize the outcomes that [they] hope to achieve.”
The full set of guidance is set to be released for comment in the coming weeks and will solicit feedback from the Duke community.
The announcements signal a shift in the University’s response to the January executive orders issued by President Donald Trump demanding federally funded education institutions terminate DEI programs. Hewitt wrote in a Feb. 1 email to The Chronicle that the Office of Institutional Equity suggested community members refrain from making any changes until the office had more time to “comprehend the directive and receive further guidance.”
Guidance for international community
The webinar also summarized past University guidance regarding travel for international students and scholars.
McMahon opened her remarks by acknowledging the “degree of disruption” that the over 5,000 international students and scholars at the University experienced as a result of federal policy changes.
Lofton reminded attendees that a valid visa does not guarantee entry into the U.S. and immigration officers are exercising strict entry procedures. He added that individuals should take into account their planned destination, the length and purpose of their stay and the necessity of their travel when making decisions to leave the country, as travel bans and other changes to entry policy could “happen at any time.”
“We are anticipating seeing more people coming into the country sent for secondary inspection,” McMahon said. “That means more questions about what they’re coming into the U.S. for … and in some cases, searches of personal devices.”
McMahon emphasized the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ announcement that they will consider social media activity when making entry decisions and advised students to “think carefully about their digital footprint as they travel.”
The most recent international travel guidance was sent to international students April 18.
McMahon added that re-entry procedures may change as students return to campus for the fall semester. She urged students to update their records, carry immigration documents with them and connect with their liaison through Duke Visa Services.
“Visa holders should know that Duke may not be able to intercede if they are detained or denied entry into the United States,” Lofton said.
