Following feedback from members and outside organizations, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges’ Senior College and University Commission has decided against removing diversity, equity and inclusion language from its standards, WSCUC announced Monday.
Earlier this winter the Western accreditor noted it was weighing a change to four of its standards, dropping DEI language and replacing “DEI” with the phrase “success for all students.” The move prompted pushback from numerous critics who accused the accreditor of folding to conservative political pressure on DEI; others argued it made sense to drop the loaded phrase.
WSCUC was considering the change at a time when President-elect Donald Trump has taken aim at both DEI programs and accreditors, whom he has threatened to “fire.”
“Feedback from WSCUC’s membership and interested organizations made clear that a deeper examination of any change would be necessary,” WSCUC said in a statement. “Therefore, the institutional ‘commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion’ will remain in all the Standards. We will continue to explore the most effective ways to affirm WSCUC principles and accountability while maintaining the current language and expectations.”
