In a recent Mercury News article, Thompson Coburn Higher Education partner Scott Goldschmidt was quoted regarding the practice of universities in California’s Bay Area continuing their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) celebrations around graduation despite a directive from the Trump administration. This spring, institutions such as Stanford and UC Berkeley were proceeding with their long-standing cultural commencement ceremonies, also known as affinity graduations.
In February, the Trump administration warned universities to discontinue race-based practices and dismantle diversity programs or risk losing federal funding. Scott pointed out there is a difference between racially exclusive and racially affiliated graduations, and schools have been careful to make it clear that ceremonies are open to all students, regardless of race.
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