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Virginia鈥檚 23 community colleges will be required to ensure all of their programs and practices comply with federal regulations to ensure everyone is treated fairly and equally, ending policies that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
The decision by the Virginia Community College System鈥檚 State Board is in response to President Donald Trump鈥檚 executive order to eliminate DEI initiatives, which are designed to overcome historic inequities and discrimination that blocked progress for minorities and women. The VCCS directive applies to several areas including admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, and graduation ceremonies, according to the聽听谤别蝉辞濒耻迟颈辞苍.
The Trump Administration has also warned colleges and universities to end race-based decision-making or risk losing federal funding, which many institutions rely on to cover聽聽and the federal聽听辫谤辞驳谤补尘.
The VCCS鈥� resolution also directs Virginia community colleges to avoid attempts to get around the new rules and to end reliance on third-party organizations that assist in implementing race-conscious policies.
鈥淎dopting a resolution to affirm our values and compliance with recent guidance on discrimination and merit-based opportunity and amending language in our policies and strategic plan are critical necessary actions to ensure federal funding for Virginia鈥檚 Community Colleges is not compromised,鈥� said VCCS State Board Chair Terri Thompson, who was reappointed by former Gov. Ralph Northam. 鈥淚t is our continued ability to provide students with high-quality educational and training opportunities that is at the heart of our mission.鈥�
The board鈥檚 decision also led to several changes to the system鈥檚聽, which outlines the VCCS鈥� goals and objectives, including removing the goal of increasing the diversity of full-time faculty and staff by 5% by 2030.
The decision also changed some areas of the聽, including renaming its advisory council on 鈥渄iversity, equity, inclusion and culture鈥� to 鈥渃ulture of care and success.鈥�
David Dor茅, VCCS chancellor, said the changes made don鈥檛 impact the system鈥檚聽, which is to help people learn new things and glean better skills to enhance their lives and help their communities get stronger.
Del. Michael Jones, D-Richmond, told聽聽last week that the board needs to reverse the decision, adding that VCCS鈥� diversity policies help ensure minorities, who he says have been subject to systemic racism, have the same opportunities as their white counterparts.
鈥淚t bothers me when people come up to me (and say), 鈥業 don鈥檛 see race,鈥欌�� Jones said to the television news station. 鈥淵ou need to see race because when you see race you will understand and see the obstacles that I had to face, the challenges I had to overcome, just simply being born the color that I am into the system or the country that I was born in.鈥�
State Republicans applauded the board鈥檚 decision, including Del. Mike Cherry, R-Colonial Heights, and Del. Tom Garrett, R-Buckingham, both members of the House Education Committee.
During the past two sessions, Garrett聽聽proposals to amend the Virginia Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on race and sex.
After the proposal聽聽to pass in 2024 and was revised to exclude 鈥渟ex鈥� in January, the Democratic-controlled House did not hear the proposal.
鈥淲e need to be aware of the negative impacts of our past mistakes, but (also) that we do not correct those going forward by considerations for promotion and opportunity beyond merit and one鈥檚 ability to serve their community,鈥� Garrett said.
Cherry added that Virginia鈥檚 community college system is an 鈥渋mportant link鈥� in the state鈥檚 higher education offerings, particularly for first-generation and working adult families.
鈥淓nding the divisiveness of DEI programs at VCCS and all public colleges and universities allows them to stay focused on one of their main objectives, which should be making a college degree attainable and affordable for all Virginians, and I support their decision.鈥�
