A study reveals that American universities are renaming their DEI departments rather than abolishing them.

American universities have rebranded diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ideology instead of eliminating it, as claimed, according to CriticalRace.org.

The group CriticalRace.org has cataloged over 700 institutions of higher education to monitor their CRT curricula and training activities. Out of 26 universities where legislative efforts have been implemented to phase out DEI, 10 have simply replaced them with new offices that have similar programming and/or personnel, as lawmakers face an uphill battle to uproot DEI ideology from public institutions.

William A. Jacobson stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that the findings show how deeply ingrained CRT and DEI concepts are in higher education, with a strong ideological commitment that is difficult to alter.

""It will take time to see the effects of efforts to remove CRT and DEI from universities, as higher education is resistant to change and requires a sustained long-term effort to shift its focus back to education and away from ideological indoctrination," Jacobson stated."

Cornell Law School's Clinical Professor Jacobson founded the sprawling database of CriticalRace.org, which has examined elite K-12 private schools, top undergraduate programs, military service academies, medical schools, and others.

CriticalRace.org's latest project focused on the states that want to abolish DEI practices on college campuses. The states that have taken legislative action to eliminate DEI practices include Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, and North Dakota. However, CriticalRace.org discovered that new offices such as the "Office of Access and Engagement" and the "Division of Access, Opportunity, and Diversity" will replace former DEI offices at many institutions.

Jacobson stated that while many education groups have shifted their focus from CRT/DEI to other issues due to changing politics, CriticalRace.org remains committed to CRT/DEI because others have lost interest and because it poses a threat to equality and equal protection of the laws.

"We at EqualProtect.org take legal action to address discrimination in the name of DEI, as found through our research at CriticalRace.org. We encourage the public to share information about discriminatory programs and scholarships with us."

The website CriticalRace.org provides detailed information on the curricula and training offered at each school, as well as contact information and an overview of every university.

According to CriticalRace.org, the University of Alabama, Florida State University, University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa, Oklahoma State University, South Dakota State University, University of South Dakota, University of Tennessee (System-wide), University of Utah, and Utah Valley University have all rebranded their DEI efforts.

The University of Alabama abolished its DEI office and established the Division of Opportunities, Connections, and Success, with Dr. Christine Taylor, the former Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, leading the new division, according to CriticalRace.org's research.

"In October 2023, Florida State University implemented a similar approach to the one taken by the University of California, Berkeley by changing title names and reclassifying positions of employees who were already working in DEI to give them different roles. This approach allowed the University to avoid laying off any employees. The Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance and Engagement was activated to replace the DEI office."

CriticalRace.org managing editor Kemberlee Kaye isn’t surprised.

Kaye informed Planet Chronicle Digital that she predicted a year ago, following the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling, that DEI would not vanish on college campuses but would shift underground in various ways. Her research findings have confirmed her analysis that one-time legislative efforts are not enough and sustained action is necessary.

She stated that while legislative efforts to halt the funding and/or proliferation of DEI/CRT on campus are a crucial first step, they are not a comprehensive solution.

More than a dozen additional states have pending legislation related to DEI ideology.

The Equal Protection Project is a nonprofit organization that runs CriticalRace.org, which is a project of the Legal Insurrection Foundation, a nonprofit focused on campus free speech and academic freedom.

Planet Chronicle Digital has reached out to the schools listed for comment.

The University of Alabama has shut down its Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and is discontinuing initiatives, programs, and responsibilities that do not comply with state and federal laws. In its place, a new organization called the Division of Opportunities, Connections and Success has been established with a new mission and programs aimed at promoting success for all members of the UA community. This is not a rebrand, and the division will operate in accordance with Alabama Act 2024-34, which takes effect on October 1.

The University of Utah directed Planet Chronicle Digital to a Salt Lake Tribune report on the situation, stating that Utah Valley University is "following the Utah law and the guidance of the Utah System of Higher Education."

An Oklahoma State spokesperson stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that "OSU is dedicated to adhering to the governor's executive order."