OAN Staff James Meyers
11:45 AM – Friday, May 30, 2025
Another University’s DEI office has officially closed their doors, as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced las week that their office is going away, according to the New York Post.
A University official stated that MIT President Sally Kornbluth closed the Community and Equity Office after earlier banning the use of diversity statements in student admissions or faculty hiring.
Additionally, the vice president role at the department will be eliminated, and the school will reportedly return to a “merit-based focus” that was started by Kornbluth in January 2024.
Among the top priorities listed in the memo, titled “How we support our community,” was a section with the header “Core programs will continue, but we will wind down the central ICEO.”
The specific process to close the office involved an assessment of the DEI office’s actual productiveness which was determined by senior faculty members.
“MIT is in the talent business. Our success depends on attracting exceptionally talented people of every background, from across the country and around the world, and making sure everyone at MIT feels welcome and supported, so they can do their best work and thrive,” Kornbluth said in a statement shared by an MIT rep.
The decision by MIT comes as the Trump administration opened a civil rights investigation into the school over alleged racial discrimination.
According to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, the probe led to a Title VI investigation of reported antisemitic harassment and sex discrimination on campus.
“Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin,” McMahon said in a statement. “We will not yield on this commitment.”
Just over a year ago, Kornbluth and two other college presidents were questioned after allowing antisemitic intimidation to run rampant throughout their campuses.
In December 2023, she told members of the House Education Committee that while students “have been pained by chants and recent demonstrations,” MIT has a responsibility to “ensure that we protect speech and viewpoint diversity for everyone.”
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