Teaching
Diversity encompasses a lot more than just race. That’s why DEI programs are intended to benefit a broad range of people.
University DEI programs support underrepresented students from all kinds of backgrounds, such as those who are the first in their family to attend college. White students represent 46% of that group, more than any other single race. Image by Converse University via CC
Attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in higher education are often based on the charge that they are discriminatory. The argument is that they exclusively benefit students of color and LGBTQ+ community members. In reality, DEI programs support students from all backgrounds—including white students.
In fact, federal funding reaches a broad range of students across racial and ethnic groups, with 70% of white students receiving aid. DEI initiatives also assist underrepresented groups such as first-generation college students (46% of whom are white), students with disabilities (21.1% of undergraduates with disabilities are white), women in male-dominated fields, and veterans (60% of whom are white).
RELATED ARTICLE: A Practical Guide to Doing DEI Work in a Hostile Era
