Rider DEI unchanged as study group goes ‘quiet’
By Jake Tiger
As schools nationwide pull back their race-based programming, Rider President Gregory Dell’Omo reiterated the institution’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion via a universitywide email on March 10, despite a recent federal letter calling such initiatives discriminatory.
A “Dear Colleague” letter issued by the Department of Education on Feb. 14 demanded that all schools cease race-conscious education and opportunities with the threat of pulling vital federal funding if the demands were not met by March 1.
As a result, dozens of institutions, including nearby Rowan University and Rutgers University New Brunswick, pulled back on their DEI initiatives to varying degrees. Rutgers cancelled a conference about historically Black colleges; Rowan completely gutted its DEI division, the university’s president announced in a Feb. 27 statement.
Meanwhile, Rider remained committed to its values, according to the university president’s most recent email.
Dell’Omo’s message states, “As Rider is closely watching these developments, we continue to stand by our commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible environment for all members of our community. … We will continue to monitor this situation closely and ensure our compliance with legal standards while upholding our core values.”
Rider organized a private study group following the federal action to scan the university’s offerings for anything that could be targeted by the anti-DEI letter’s new demands. The group consists of nine staff, two faculty and two students, according to External Affairs Vice President Kristine Brown, who is leading the group.
According to a member of the study group, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the group is “quiet” right now but there has been no official communication stating that its work is complete.
“The ad hoc nature of the group combines with the unpredictability of the current [federal] administration in a way that means that group members are always monitoring the situation,” the anonymous member said.
Brown said the names of the study group members were kept private to stave off outside pressure.
Dell’Omo’s email referred the community to guidance issued by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin on March 5 that reaffirmed the legality of DEI. Platkin’s statement claims the DOE’s anti-DEI letter attempted to “improperly expand” a 2023 landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that ended race-based affirmative action in college admissions.
A Feb. 25 lawsuit by the American Federation of Teachers, one of the nation’s largest teacher unions, claimed the DOE’s demands were broad and unconstitutional. The National Education Association also filed a lawsuit against the letter on March 5.
