St. John’s University is reaffirming its commitment to “upholding Catholic and Vincentian values while remaining compliant with the law” following a Feb. 14 directive from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights that calls for ending Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education, University Spokesperson Brian Browne said. 

The directive, titled “Dear Colleague Letter,” writes that educational institutions have promoted the “false premise” that the U.S. is founded on systemic racism, using DEI initiatives to “smuggle racial stereotypes and explicit race-consciousness into everyday training, programming and discipline.”

“Federal law thus prohibits covered entities from using race in decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies and all other aspects of student, academic and campus life,” wrote Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights for the Education Department.

The Department of Education then threatened federal funding to any institution that failed to comply with the directive, geared toward all federally funded preschool, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary educational institutions, as well as state educational agencies.

This decision comes after the Supreme Court’s landmark 2023 decision, Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, that eliminated the use of race-conscious admissions for Black and Latino students. At the time, former President Donald Trump called it a “great day for America.”

The directive has received major criticism and could deeply affect the  St. John’s University community. With about half of the student body composed of students of color, according to College Factual, the changes could be especially consequential. 

Browne recognized the confusion the directive has on the campus community, saying “The University continues to monitor policymaking, the legislative process and the legal landscape as we review our existing policies, programs and practices.”

He said the University believes its policies are compliant and is “undertaking a close review to affirm that belief and better understand our responsibilities under the directives [of the letter].”

Programs such as the Critical Race and Ethnic Studies major could also be affected, though Browne reaffirmed the University’s commitment to its Vincentian values while adhering to federal law.

Browne encouraged students to utilize various resources like “Counseling and Psychological Services, the International Student and Scholar Services, the Office of Campus Ministry, the Division of Student Success, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Department of Public Safety” to provide support. 

While the University has said they will communicate any impact on “academics and living and learning on campus,” he said a group of University leaders is “gathering information and reviewing programs and policies” based on the directive.