by Kandiss Edwards
September 4, 2025
Emory University announced its decision to close its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offices. Local NAACP urges Emory to reconsider.
On Sept. 3, Emory University announced its decision to close its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office.
The Atlanta institution will effectively end its DEI-related Initiatives. The decision has sparked concern among students and faculty, even as Interim President Leah Ward Sears assured the community that the move was made in response to federal mandates.
“Federal laws and mandates have been implemented that require higher education institutions to alter fundamentally or even close offices and programs focused on DEI,” Ward Sears wrote.
Ward Sears goes on to state that the school will support impacted employees through the transition. Ward Sears states that the dismissal of said policies will not constitute abandoning the institution’s core values.
“The Emory I believe in is committed to every person having an equal place, voice, and chance to succeed,” Sears said. “We demonstrate this every day through how we lead, hire, mentor, and serve. Closing offices or reimagining lawful programs is not, after all, the same as ending our unwavering commitment to fairness, belonging, and opportunity for all, values that are part of Emory’s DNA.
Beyond Emory, universities across the country are facing similar pressures. According to WABE, several peer institutions have rebranded or scaled back their DEI programs in response to executive interventions targeting such initiatives.
In an X post, Georgia NAACP President Gerald Griggs appealed to Emory’s board of directors to reconsider eliminating DEI programs.
“The Georgia NAACP is gravely concerned about Emory University’s decision to restructure its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs,” Griggs wrote. “While we acknowledge Emory’s stated commitment to fairness and belonging, these changes raise serious questions about how students, faculty, and staff — particularly from marginalized communities — will be supported moving forward.”
As Emory proceeds with dismantling formal DEI structures, students and faculty alike are calling for those values to remain woven into campus life.
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