Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include responses from Nygil Likely and Lisa Freiburger.
During his first afternoon in office, on Monday, Jan. 20, newly elected President Donald Trump signed an executive order putting an end to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts put in place by his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.
The day after declining an interview with The Collegiate, Grand Rapids Community College President Charles Lepper sent out an email to the GRCC community regarding the future of DEI at the college.
“I want to take a moment to reaffirm our strong and ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging,” Lepper stated in his Jan. 28 email. “… We recognize that serving students means fostering an environment that celebrates differences and embraces what diversity brings to our academic, social and professional spaces.”
However, it remains unclear how changes coming from Washington will affect the Grand Rapids and Holland campuses.
“While we monitor changes in policy and law, we want to reassure you that our core commitment to upholding the values of inclusion, equity and respect for all will not waver,” Lepper stated. “We are closely evaluating how new directives may impact our community, and we will take the necessary steps to comply with applicable laws, while staying true to our mission of providing equitable access to higher education for all.”
Vice President for People, Culture & Equity, Nygil Likely echoed the college’s commitment to DEI in an email to The Collegiate.
“We are continuously evaluating changes in policy and law and are dedicated to ensuring that all individuals feel seen, valued and supported within our community,” Likely stated. “…please rest assured we are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to prioritize our core values.”
Additionally, on Monday, Jan. 27, the Office of Management and Budget sent out a memo with the directive to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance,” leading to widespread confusion, as this memo called into question the funding for school meals for low-income students and reintegration programs for homeless veterans among other initiatives.
This freezing of funds was blocked by a federal judge minutes before it was set to take effect. However, if the policy manages to get reinstated, it is unclear exactly how the college and the student body would be affected.
“Thankfully we have been able to confirm that federal financial aid is not impacted,” stated Lisa Freiburger in an email to The Collegiate. “We do have a number of Federal grant programs including our TRIO programs, Department of Labor workforce related programs, and several others. We are working now to determine impact and next steps.”
