A top Midwestern university has followed the national trend by rolling back its DEI initiatives.

Several universities, including the University of Michigan, have dismantled their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) initiatives as part of their faculty requirements this year.

The University of Michigan has announced that diversity statements will no longer be required during the faculty hiring, promotion, and tenure process, as stated in a news release on Thursday.

The University of Michigan has stopped using diversity statements after a faculty working group recommended it on October 31st. The group claimed that the statements could restrict freedom of expression and diversity of thought on campus.

McCauley stated that as we tackle this intricate and demanding task, we will continually fine-tune our strategy.

The university opted not to implement two recommendations from the working group: integrating DEI content into teaching, research, and service statements, and improving training on how to write and evaluate them.

This year, many other public universities have also rescinded their DEI initiatives and mandates.

In 2021, Texas public universities abolished DEI offices, positions, and training due to Senate Bill 17's signing into law. This resulted in layoffs and restructuring at institutions such as the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M.

In May, the University of North Carolina system redirected millions from DEI initiatives to public safety and discontinued DEI programs on campuses. Additionally, the state prohibited mandatory diversity statements for job applications in academia.

After the passing of a state law earlier this year, Iowa's three public universities - the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa - abolished their DEI offices and redirected their funds.

Gov. Ron DeSantis implemented education reforms in Florida last year, which included restrictions on DEI in public universities.

DEI initiatives are being rolled back by institutions beyond universities, as President-elect Trump pledged to eliminate such programs in federal agencies and issued an executive order banning "divisive" training for federal contractors. Additionally, the House Oversight Committee recently held a hearing on dismantling DEI policies.

Devon Westhill, a constitutional and civil rights attorney, explained to Planet Chronicle Digital that the multibillion-dollar industry promoting a left-wing, far-left ideological orthodoxy in all aspects of American life is commonly referred to as the "DEI enterprise," instead of just DEI, to give people a clear understanding of what he is referring to.

The Biden-Harris administration has been promoting DEI initiatives in the federal government for the past four years. In 2021, President Biden issued an executive order directing agencies to assess and remove barriers to equal opportunity through DEI policies. Another executive order signed that year was a government-wide initiative to embed DEI principles in federal hiring.