University to review DEI programs following Trump’s executive order

University president Jon Levin ’94 said that Stanford will “need to review programs on campus that fall under the DEI heading” and that it is likely “some will need to be modified” at Thursday’s Faculty Senate meeting, in the wake of President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to terminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.

Trump’s order, which alleges that “institutions of higher education have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion,’” authorizes investigations into any colleges that have DEI offices or promote DEI policies on campus.

“We are committed to the pursuit of discovery and [encouraging students] to speak openly about issues they care about,” Levin said. “The executive board does not call those principles into question.”

Stanford DEI programs such as Stanford DiversityWorks, Community Centers, the Bechtel International Center, immigration resources, the Office of Accessible Education and community centers like the Diversity and First Gen (DGen) Office aim to serve students from minority backgrounds and highlight the wide range of identities on campus.

Current DEI initiatives at Stanford include the Bing Overseas Study Diversity and Identity Abroad program, the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Statement on Inclusion, the Haas Center for Public Service’s DEI statement, and the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program.

The other members of the Faculty Senate did not comment on the issue.

At Thursday’s meeting, Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) president Diego Kagurabadza ’25 and vice-president Divya Ganesan ’25 followed with a presentation from the ASSU.

Ganesan and Kagurabadza commented on recent questions regarding the longevity of the Bridge Peer Counseling Center, which provides peer counseling services to students. The Bridge’s future has been proven unclear in recent weeks, as the Office of Student Affairs has delayed confirming details regarding the program’s funding and location.

“Stanford has a really unique program called the Bridge, and we pair it alongside [Counseling and Psychological Services],” Ganesan said. “In the midst of an increasing mental health crisis, there is greater demand than there is supply of these services. We are working with administrators to figure out how we can support students in that way.”

The Bridge offers a free, anonymous peer counseling service that runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service aims to help students when no one else is available, receiving 66% of its calls between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m.  However, financial uncertainty has put the center at risk of shutting down. Over 1,000 students, parents and community members signed a petition in support of its future on campus in the first 24 hours.

The ASSU passed a bill unanimously on Wednesday night to support the center.

Ganesan and Kagurabadza’s presentation also included a section on free speech policy, which Kagurabadza asserted should be clarified and more uniformly upheld. Additionally, he suggested that the current policy governing campus free speech, the 1968 Campus Disruption Policy, be revised and updated to include less stringent rules than those implemented in the wake of Vietnam War protests on campus.

“By providing some kind of guidance about what penalties are possible in different scenarios, students will be able to better understand the risks that they assume with given actions and speech,” he said.

Kagurabadza and Ganesan also addressed the issue of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms. Ganesan stated that AI should not be strictly prohibited, but used as a motivating factor for students to write unique, more high-quality papers and assignments. Per Ganesan, AI may be able to write a “B” level paper, but can never embody the excellence that Stanford students are able to achieve in “A” level work.

“We have started to experience a critical thinking crisis,” said Ganesan. “[AI] can be highly detrimental to our learning in the classroom, [but we can] use [AI] tools without losing the independence we enjoy in our education.” 

Kagurabadza and Ganesan also presented an overview of the ASSU’s advocacy work so far this academic year. Initiatives include a grant of $125,000 for “student-run funds,” removal of PHYSWELL course fees, extended study hours at Green Library and an endorsement of California Assembly Bill 1780, banning legacy admissions to private universities in the state.

“Students are really excited about student-initiated fun,” Ganesan said. “We keep talking about the term, ‘third spaces,’ or places where students go that aren’t the classroom and your dorm. The current ‘third space’ on campus is On Call Cafe, which was made by students using student-run funds.” The pair expressed their desire to create more of these spaces on campus, pointing to The Rough Draught Pub’s pop-up as an example. 

“Stanford students [need] community outside the classroom, not just in those third spaces, but socially and communally,” Kagurabadza said.

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