Michigan State University has announced it will no longer require Diversity, Equity and Inclusion statements in job postings, hiring, evaluations or promotion and tenure decisions.

In a memo sent to faculty, deans, school directors and department chairs, Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Thomas Jeitschko, along with Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Jabbar Bennett and Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel Brian Quinn, said the change is intended to ensure the university complies with "evolving federal directives." They directed that any existing materials or processes including DEI statements be reviewed and revised or removed promptly to align with the new guidance.

Jeitschko advised each college and unit to review its current and upcoming hiring, evaluation, and promotion materials, while instructing the removal or revision of any DEI-related content "without delay to ensure compliance."

University spokesperson Amber McCann said MSU is proud of "its long history as a welcoming and inclusive institution, and our values remain the same."

"The university does not have, nor has it previously had, a university-wide policy requiring DEI statements as part of the tenure review process," McCann said. "The Provost’s office recently provided guidance for consistency across units."

MSU’s latest move regarding DEI initiatives comes as the University of Michigan made similar changes, first implementing new guidance in December 2024 and then announcing the end of its DEI programs and initiatives in March.

In March, MSU was among the universities exempted from federal investigations into DEI programs. 

In April, The State News reported that the College of Arts and Letters was offering DEI scholarships while being careful not to violate the federal government’s interpretation of anti-discrimination laws.