Penn is set to introduce major changes to its longstanding University-wide nondiscrimination and affirmative action policies on Feb. 11.
Credit: Jean ParkPenn is set to introduce major changes to its longstanding University-wide nondiscrimination and affirmative action policies on Feb. 11.
The changes — which will be released on Tuesday, according to a copy of the new policies — follow an executive order from 1968 Wharton graduate and President Donald Trump that requires federally funded universities such as Penn to terminate any diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that could be in violation of federal civil rights laws. The revised policies indicate that the University is renaming the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs to the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs.
A University spokesperson wrote to The Daily Pennsylvanian that Penn is “reviewing websites and programs to ensure they are consistent with our nondiscrimination policies and federal law.”
In a note prefacing the new policies, Interim Penn President Larry Jameson, Provost John Jackson Jr., and other senior administrators wrote that the revised policies come as a “result” of Trump’s executive orders.
“The new policy and statement, which appear below, reflect Penn’s long-standing commitment to values of excellence, freedom of inquiry and expression, and respect,” the administrators wrote. “We understand that the revisions to federal laws and regulations can be troubling when they change rapidly.”
At the time of publication, Penn’s new “Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Statement” — which will replace the previous “Nondiscrimination Statement” — states that Penn “seeks talented students, faculty, and staff with a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.” The prior version also included that the University “values diversity.”
Additionally, Penn’s “Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy” will be renamed to the “Policy on Equal Opportunity.” While the previous policy contained multiple references to “affirmative action,” there are no such references in the new policy.
While the old policy stated that Penn’s “special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community” and that “diversity is prized at Penn as a central component of its mission,” the new policy reads that “special character is reflected in the wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of the Penn community.” The revised policy does not include the word “diversity.”
Last week, Penn’s School of Dental Medicine and Stuart Weitzman School of Design appeared to have shut down central offices and initiatives related to DEI. The changes marked significant steps in backpedaling some of the DEI initiatives that Penn has championed in recent years.
The Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, the Graduate Student Center, and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs have also renamed offices, initiatives, and web pages related to DEI to eliminate references to “diversity,” minorities, and “underrepresented” students. The DP could not immediately confirm when these changes occurred.
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