WASC Halts Commitment to DEI Amid Review

The Western Association of Schools and Universities (WASC) announced on Tuesday that it is temporarily suspending its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as it undertakes a review of standards in light of a recent executive order from President Donald Trump.

In this order, Trump directed certifiers to prohibit the promotion of what he labels as “discriminatory ideologies,” which includes the DEI approach in higher education institutions. Such certifiers are seen as “gatekeepers” for federal funding opportunities. WASC plans to begin a review of DEI standards while affirming its ongoing commitment to ensuring success for all students.

The most recent WASC standard from 2023 emphasizes that schools should be “successful and successful for all students,” explicitly stating their commitment to DEI for certification eligibility. Although the Accreditation Committee had discussed removing DEI language from their requirements last December, it reconsidered after receiving feedback from various organizations.

There was a suggestion to replace DEI requirements with a commitment to “institutional excellence and success for all students” in the accreditation process.

This shift impacts a range of institutions, including the University of California system, the California State University system, and several religious colleges. The Trump administration has ramped up efforts to eliminate what it sees as divisive DEI practices from educational and public sectors. The Education Department has already taken steps, like removing many references to DEI practices from its website, discontinuing related teams, placing staff on administrative leave, and halting DEI training.

Additionally, the administration has issued warnings to programs that may still engage in racial consideration practices, threatening cuts to federal funding.

WASC has not yet responded to inquiries from the Daily Caller News Foundation regarding this announcement.