Dr. Julie J. Park, AAST Affiliate Faculty, Publishes Inside Higher Ed Article Titled, "Some DEI Programs are Vulnerable not Illegal"

On April 14th, 2025, AAST Affiliate Faculty, Julie J. Park, wrote an article for Inside Higher Ed titled, “Some DEI Programs are Vulnerable not Illegal”. In this article, Dr. Park highlights the distinction between “illegal” DEI activity and “vulnerable” DEI activity and explains why that difference matters.

The Trump administration’s directives on diversity, equity and inclusion have wreaked havoc across the higher education landscape. Confusion persists about whether all DEI activities are forbidden or just ones that are officially illegal. To top it off, there’s much bewilderment about what exactly constitutes an “illegal DEI” activity.

The ambiguity is a feature, not a bug. When people are confused about what’s legal or not, they’ll overcorrect out of fear. As a result, we see colleges and universities scrubbing DEI websites and cutting diversity-related programs. The outcome? A hasty, often over-the-top retreat from efforts that serve students and faculty alike.

Read the full article here.