All VUMC academic department and center websites were instructed to remove any references to diversity, equity and inclusion and associated phrases from their websites, per email correspondence to VUMC affiliates obtained by The Hustler. Additionally, Vanderbilt’s former Student Center for Social Justice and Identity has been renamed to the Student Center for Belonging and Communities. 

These moves follow President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order calling for an end to “radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing.” 

Though VUMC is an independent non-profit, it has a contractual relationship with several government entities, therefore requiring it to comply with federal regulatory guidelines to maintain these subcontracts. 

“Underpinning our work at VUMC is a commitment to fostering a welcoming environment, and that commitment remains steadfast. However, as our regulatory requirements change, so must our programs,” the Jan. 31 notice to VUMC affiliates reads.

Included in the now-banned language are the following words and phrases: DEI, DEIA, health equity, health disparity, health inequity, social drivers of health, social determinants of health, social justice, racial justice/equity, equal access to health care, unconscious bias, microaggression, climate change and environmental justice.

A student, granted anonymity for protection from retribution due to their current affiliation with VUMC, expressed regret that VUMC was not able to push back against the federal mandate but recognized the challenging circumstances given VUMC’s reliance on federal funding. Together, Vanderbilt and VUMC are among the top 30 institutions with the largest research and development expenditures, at over $1.08 billion in 2022, of which over 80% is federally funded.

“I wish Vanderbilt would take a bigger stance to support DEI since it’s a very important thing for universities to support, to make sure every member of their campus feels welcome,” the student said. “At the same time, I can understand where they’re coming from — a lot of Trump’s executive orders are making it hard for universities to remain supportive of DEI while still being able to receive federal funding, which is key for them to be able to continue operations.”

VUMC websites began going offline yesterday to ensure they, as well as its social media posts, are in compliance with federal requirements. VUMC declined The Hustler’s request for comment on the immediate and projected long-term implications of Trump’s executive orders.

The SCBC, formerly called the SCSJI, also revised its website. Its overall content remained relatively similar, though phrases like “inclusive engagement” changed to “engaged participation” in its mission statement, and those like “liberation, inclusion and social justice” were removed from its vision statement. 

The university declined to comment on changes to the SCBC and referred The Hustler instead to university communication regarding changes to federal grants and funding.