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Does Changing the DEI Emphasis at a University Change Its Organizational Mission?
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Does Changing the DEI Emphasis at a University Change Its Organizational Mission?

George Whaley, Lisa Williams and Deborah Elizabeth Whaley
SAGE business cases, SAGE Publications: SAGE Business Cases Originals
2026
DOI: 10.4135/9798348852863

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Abstract

A state university in the midwestern United States established a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) office following the 2020 killing of George Floyd, which shocked the nation. In January 2025, federal officials advised the university that it would lose all funds immediately if it continued supporting DEI activities. Some stakeholders saw abolishing the office as just another required organizational change, while others believed that DEI and the university’s independence were under attack. In this case study, the president contemplates what changes he should make and communicate in the future to align DEI support with the organizational mission and address the concerns of all stakeholders.
organizational change

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