After years of championing its diversity, George Mason University revealed this week that it has cut two DEI positions and is considering further eliminations of diversity programs, Virginia Mercury first reported.
Virginia Mercury reported that the Academic Programs, Diversity, and University Community Committee considered a resolution yesterday to comply with the Trump administration’s crackdown on universities with diversity initiatives under threat of losing federal funding.
The resolution says that GMU should ensure it is compliant with the Trump administration’s guidelines and:
- All programs and training not specifically required by state and federal law in the Office of Access, Compliance and Community (OACC) are eliminated
- The school’s Bias Incident Response Team is dissolved
- The Access to Research and Inclusive Excellence program is dissolved
- The university prohibits all departments, colleges or employees of the school from requiring diversity statements
- The OACC is not involved in any hiring or promotion outside of the office itself
- GMU continues to review guidance from the Department of Education and the Department of Justice and comply with federal law
The resolution is backed by the committee chair, Youngkin appointee and Project 2025 co-author Lindsey Burke. Virginia Mercury noted that Burke criticized DEI in the meeting and linked it to critical race theory.
Virginia Mercury also said GMU staff at the meeting confirmed that two vacant positions in the OACC were eliminated, the Antiracism Inclusive Excellence program was dissolved, and inclusive excellence plans have been excised from the university president’s goals.
The resolution was considered at yesterday’s meeting for later review by the school’s Board of Visitors.
The cutting of DEI programs at GMU comes at a tense moment for the school. GMU’s chapter of the American Association of University Presidents (GMU-AAUP) delivered a resolution signed by 228 members of the school community to the administration last month calling on the school to step up its protection of teachers, students and staff.
GMU’s communications office said it had “nothing to add” beyond a statement from January about ICE prioritizing locating and arresting “violent criminal offenders, not undocumented students and staff” — even as ICE was detaining not only undocumented students, but lawfully admitted international students.
Earlier this week, the federal government terminated or revoked the visas of 15 international students at GMU. GMU President Gregory Washington and Vice President for University Life Rose Pascarell said no explanation was given for the visa terminations. There are currently 4,000 international students enrolled at the school’s Northern Virginia campuses.
