Educational institutions across the country are being pressured to roll back DEI policies, and Loyola University New Orleans is no exception.
University President Cole addresses a “Dear Colleague” letter from the United States Department of Education. He said Loyola is consulting with other Jesuit institutions across the country to process what this letter is implying, and figure out what the possible next steps will be in an email sent to students, professors, and staff members regarding Loyola’s stance on these pushbacks.
“We are confident our programs and policies are inclusive of all of our students, faculty, and staff and will continue to ensure all members of our community are educated and cared for, as “cura personalis” demands,” Cole said.
While the letter itself does not have the effect of law, it aims to clarify the already existing objectives under Title IV and Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution.
According to the United States Department of Education, the United States education system, including K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, has discriminated against students based on their race, including lower-income white and Asian students.
Cole’s email on February 20, further referenced the 2023 Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. This decision makes it illegal under federal law to use race as grounds for admission to public universities and private institutions that rely on federal funding. Exceptions must pass “strict scrutiny”, the highest level of judicial review.
This Supreme Court decision goes beyond just admissions decisions, it also applies to housing, discipline, administrative support, financial aid, scholarships, and graduation ceremonies. Universities cannot legally discriminate against students because of their race nor provide advantages.
“At its core, the test is simple: If an educational institution treats a person of one race differently than it treats another person because of that person’s race, the educational institution violates the law,” states the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.
The “Dear Colleagues” letter further explained that the teaching of diversity, equity, and inclusion is a way institutions of higher education push discriminatory policy and the notion that the education system is foundationally racist. It then follows up with, “discrimination of a person based on race, color, or nationality is, has been, and will continue to be illegal,” said the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.
Aariel Charbonnet, the vice president of marketing and communications, gave a statement to The Maroon on behalf of the university, regarding the letter.
“At a time when federal guidelines and regulations are constantly changing, the university has leaders keeping up with how these changes are impacting our community,” she said.
They have been seeking resources and obtaining legal advice to better educate and keep students, faculty, and staff safe from possible threats.
“Loyola University New Orleans, a Jesuit and Catholic institution of higher education, welcomes students of diverse backgrounds and prepares them to lead meaningful lives with and for others; to pursue truth, wisdom, and virtue; and to work for a more just world,” Cole said.
