Lauren Replogle
Disclaimer: The opinions and statements expressed in this story are the reporter’s own and do not represent The Maneater as a publication.
Since the 2025 presidential inauguration, the Trump administration has encouraged new policies surrounding many controversial topics. As of April 18, President Donald Trump has implemented 129 executive orders in the days following the inauguration. On Feb. 14, his administration worked through the U.S. Department of Education, giving public schools and universities two weeks to remove diversity, equity and inclusion programs or risk losing federal funding.
This ultimatum follows Trump’s executive order “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing” which bans diversity, equity and inclusion programs in federally funded colleges and universities. The executive order also states that federal employees or employers should not consider any “DEI or DEIA factors, goals, policies, mandates, or requirements” during federal employment practices.
The Asian American Association at the University of Missouri is one of many identity-based student organizations at the university. Chelsea Trieu, the engagement chair of AAA, said the organization helps students find community with others they may relate to and educate them about Asian cultures. Additionally, according to its website, the mission of AAA is to “build a safe community, to educate, to serve, and to work towards providing a better experience for future generations.”
“Triple A has helped me find people that I can relate to and who understand me,” Trieu said. “I think taking that away or limiting the resources available to students under that spectrum is very very harmful.”
Another identity-based resource at MU is the LGBTQ Resource Center, which aims to develop healthy communities, strategic partnerships and identities. The center also focuses on leadership, inclusion and celebrating identities.
MU sophomore Noah Schnare, who frequents the resource center and uses its services, said he feels the center wants people to feel welcome, safe and accepted and believes the executive order opposes that.
“It removes these safe spaces for people to explore their own culture or [find] people that struggle with similar things,” Schnare said. “It makes people feel more unsafe, which also means we get less diversity and less expression of different ideas.”
Cutting identity-based programs from education systems underrepresents portions of the student body and eliminates student resources including, but not limited to, the LGBTQ Resource Center, Multicultural Center, Women’s Center and Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center. This also includes student organizations surrounding identity such as gender, sexuality or race. These programs help create inclusive communities and can often empower students seeking guidance and confidence in their identities. Diversity in education emphasizes differing perspectives, which is vital for nurturing critical thinking and empathy.
Removing DEI programs tells students that their identities are not valued as much as others’, which can impact mental health and academic success. This acts as a form of erasure because it aims to ignore diverse identities, invalidate experiences and silence voices. Every student deserves to feel seen and heard, and providing organizations and resources for marginalized communities are a crucial part of ensuring equity in higher education. Having programs that provide supportive resources for the success of students means having those programs and resources for marginalized students as well as those who are not. Being surrounded by people with similar experiences are essential to helping students feel understood and safe.
According to MU Analytics, MU has a total of 31,543 students enrolled for the 2024-25 academic year, approximately 76% of which identify as white. Approximately 0.07% are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.16% are American Indian or Alaskan Native, 2.9% are Asian, 5.1% are Black or African American, 5.8% are Hispanic and/or Latino, 4.5% are nonresident students and 4.06% are two or more races. The removal of identity-based programs at MU would leave at least 25% of students without places of on-campus community and resources that were in place specifically to support them.
The Trans Legislation Tracker, an anti-trans bill tracker run by an independent research organization, has tracked 70 anti-trans bills passed in 49 states as of April 15, 2025, 51 of which have been signed into law. 854 anti-trans bills are under consideration at the federal level. There have also been recent restrictive immigration policies. On Jan. 21, Rep. Jefferson Van Drew introduced H.R.594, the “Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act,” which aims to detain and deport immigrants without permanent legal status “who commit assault against law enforcement officers.” The Trump administration has also revoked four executive orders from the Biden administration that offer support for immigrants. Not to mention, the U.S. Department of Justice reported 52.5% of hate crimes in the U.S. are racially motivated as of 2023.
Diversity is not something that should be censored, and all humans should be given the space to exist as they are. Students deserve to feel seen and supported.
“There [are] differences between people and they’re important differences because they’re different perspectives,” Schnare said. “We shouldn’t force people into a specific type of culture or way of being because that’s not human.”
Edited by Preston Smith | psmith@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Micah Shulman and Emma Short | eshort@themaneater.com
Edited by Emilia Hansen | ehansen@themaneater.com
Edited by Emily Skidmore | eskidmore@themaneater.com