The University of Michigan’s D.E.I. Initiative: A Decade of Investment and Challenges
Ten years ago, the University of Michigan made a strategic decision to place itself at the forefront of a transformative movement that was just beginning to reshape higher education across the United States. As college administrators nationwide ramped up their diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) initiatives, they believed that robust D.E.I. efforts would not only help traditionally underrepresented students thrive on campus but also enhance learning experiences for all students, regardless of their backgrounds.
In recent years, as D.E.I. programs have faced intense scrutiny and criticism, Michigan has doubled down on its commitment to these initiatives, positioning itself as a model for other institutions to emulate. According to estimates, the university has developed one of the largest D.E.I. bureaucracies among public universities in the country.
However, an in-depth investigation by The New York Times has revealed that Michigan’s extensive and costly D.E.I. program has encountered significant challenges in achieving its primary objectives, while also triggering a series of unintended consequences. Here are some key insights from the Magazine’s analysis of Michigan’s D.E.I. experiment:
- Michigan has invested an astonishing $250 million into D.E.I. initiatives. The university has committed nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to D.E.I. since 2016, as per an internal presentation I accessed. Every department within the university, from the medical school to the archives, is mandated to develop and implement a D.E.I. plan.
- The workforce dedicated to D.E.I. has grown significantly. As of last year, the number of employees working in D.E.I.-related offices or holding job titles that include “diversity,” “equity,” or “inclusion” reached 241, according to research conducted by Mark J. Perry, an emeritus professor of finance at the university’s Flint campus.
- Challenges persist in improving Black enrollment, and overall student sentiment is declining. The percentage of Black students at Michigan has remained stagnant at around 5 percent, despite an overall increase in enrollment, in a state where approximately 14 percent of residents identify as Black. A survey conducted in late 2022 revealed that both students and faculty reported a less favorable campus climate compared to the program’s inception, with a diminished sense of belonging among the university community.