Colorado State University has made changes on its campuses following the Trump Administration鈥檚 guidelines to .
The university's changes stem from the that was sent out in February by the U.S. Education Department鈥檚 Office for Civil Rights. The letter states that K-12 schools and higher education institutions have discriminated against students based on race and should not distribute benefits based on race.
The letter also said DEI practices are 鈥渄iscriminatory鈥� and 鈥渟muggl[e] racial stereotypes and explicit race-consciousness into everyday training, programming, and discipline.鈥� The department has informed institutions that a failure to comply may put them in danger of losing federal funding.
Shortly after receiving the Dear Colleague letter, the CSU System to the CSU community saying they would revise their websites as well as shift employee job duties and human resource policies in an effort to comply with federal guidelines.
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CSU System officials are trying to keep that funding and follow the law across its campuses. But in Fort Collins, students worry the university is not prioritizing their needs.
Several website changes have occurred since the letter. For instance, from the university has been removed and now directs back to the main webpage. The CSU student newspaper, The Collegian, reports the statement.
Additionally, the term 鈥渦ndocumented鈥� has been removed from . It might say 鈥溾�� or "" instead, or the page . CSU also temporarily removed the map of the and then put it back up.
Trainings centered around helping with homophobia and transphobia , with the website stating that students are not able to schedule sessions.
CSU Senior Ella Smith was so concerned by these changes that they created the CSU Student Coalition for DEIA in January. They were scared about what the future held for them as a student in the Women鈥檚 and Gender Studies program. Smith created the group as a way for students to demand the university stand up for what it says it values.
鈥淥ur administration uses these things to buoy themselves up when it's beneficial, when it can get them jobs, when they can use it as a selling point for people to come to our university and pay their salaries,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淏ut they're not fighting for students.鈥�
This has left Smith and other students frustrated, sad and scared. Many say the university has been slow with its communication, and when it does communicate, it has been vague and confusing.
The university has created a to disseminate information and answer frequently asked questions. Officials have stated that they want every student, regardless of background, to feel welcome at CSU.
鈥淭he key, it seems to me, is resolutely supporting our students and the employees who provide that support. In today鈥檚 environment, that may mean reorganization,鈥� said Tony Frank, the Chancellor of the Colorado State University system, in a in late February. 鈥淏ut it does not mean a retreat from a commitment to the values that have driven us and the outcomes that remain our goals 鈥� for every student to feel welcome and to succeed.鈥�
皇冠网址 News reached out to the office of CSU President Amy Parsons, and received a general university statement, which reads in part: 鈥淎t a time when there is change in federal priorities, CSU is steadfastly focused on its historic land-grant mission 鈥� to ensure that every student with the talent and desire has access to an affordable world-class education.鈥�
Students say CSU's compliance goes against the university鈥檚 stated value of . They have expressed fear to go out on campus and participate in school clubs and cultural resource centers because they鈥檙e worried something might happen to them or they will be targeted.
鈥淭his is people's lives that we are fighting for and fighting about,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淲e're not asking for a new rec center.鈥�
These changes have led to and a in February. Earlier this semester, several new activist groups, including and the , formed on campus to stand up for student rights and urge the university to do the same. The latter recently disbanded. Smith, who led the group, said they did not want to duplicate work other organizations were doing.
Smith knows students will not be silent about these issues, but it鈥檚 certainly not easy to ensure their voices are heard.
鈥淚 think every student who is engaged in this work is tired. It is exhausting, hard work,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭his work should be taken up by people who are getting paid to do it, this work should be taken up by our university, who should be fighting for the students.鈥�
Nick DeSalvo, CSU鈥檚 Student Body President for this academic year, said the university 鈥渨ithout a doubt鈥� still values diversity. He said the programming itself has not changed, but the university is working to change language to be more inclusive.
鈥淚 think, in the grand scheme of things, what we are doing is still in line with our values despite these changes,鈥� he said.
DeSalvo emphasized that there鈥檚 a real fear when roughly . That pays for student programs, research and more.
鈥淚 think what hasn't been part of the broader conversation is how important that is, and how, while we desperately need these programs to continue, we desperately need the university to function,鈥� he said.
Regardless of students鈥� opinions and stances, DeSalvo hopes students take their concerns not just to the student government, but to local, state and federal leaders, too.
鈥淥ftentimes we feel as though we're small cogs in a much larger machine and that our voices don't matter, but they genuinely do,鈥� he said. 鈥淯se five minutes of your free time to leave a nice voicemail for [leaders], let those folks in Colorado know how you feel.鈥�
The main photo has been updated.
