From ‘illegal DEI' to union activity to False Claims Act risks, the past year has been a flurry of activity and high-stakes changes for higher education institutions.
From ‘illegal DEI' to union activity to False Claims Act risks, the past year has been a flurry of activity and high-stakes changes for higher education institutions. It is critical for universities and colleges to strike a balance between compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws and upholding their mission statements and maintaining an inclusive culture for students and faculty alike.
Débora Avelino
Associate, Denver
Hi, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us today. My name is Débora Avelino, and I'm an associate in the Denver office. I'm joined here by Mike Bertoncini, principal in the Boston office. We both work with clients in the higher education industry, and are here today to talk about a few topics that we've been seeing our clients have challenges with. We are going to cover four topics, the first one being ‘illegal DEI.'
We can't be in 2025 and not talk about ‘illegal DEI.' It all started at the beginning of the year, January 22nd, 2025, with the issuance of Executive Order 14173 by President Trump. That executive order focused on the concept of meritocracy and the prohibition against 'illegal DEI', among other subjects and issues. Prohibition against 'illegal DEI' was a topic that immediately caused concern, not only in higher education but also in various industries....
President Donald Trump marked his first year back in office by presiding over a meandering, nearly two-hour-long press briefing to recount his accomplishments, repeating many false claims he made ...