The Chronicle of Higher Education Releases Updated DEI Legislation Tracker

Monitoring 49 bills in 23 states that would restrict efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion at colleges

The Chronicle of Higher Education today announced its updated DEI Legislation Tracker, which is following 49 bills in 23 states to restrict efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion and prohibiting colleges from a range of DEI initiatives.

Republican politicians in early 2023 launched an assault on colleges’ diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to recruit and retain faculty and students of color. While college administrators say DEI efforts are an effective strategy to repair decades of exclusionary policies and practices that repelled people of color from their campuses, Republican leaders say the practices violate free speech, break anti-discrimination laws, and are a misuse of public money.

Proposed rollbacks include prohibiting DEI offices and staff; banning mandatory diversity training; prohibiting institutions from using diversity statements in hiring and promotion; and prohibiting colleges from using race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in admissions or employment.

The Chronicle identified bills from the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions that would affect DEI efforts and supplemented those efforts by searching for relevant legislation covered by local media outlets. This is the most comprehensive analysis to date of Republican efforts to restrict DEI programs on college campuses.

The bills vary in scope: some propose limited versions of the bans outlined in model legislation, while others cover far more ground. Several of the bills have drawn criticism from academics and defenders of academic freedom and diversity initiatives, although opinions – even on the same side of the political spectrum – vary on specific proposals, such as prohibiting diversity statements.

Summary of the bills The Chronicle is tracking:

• Seven bills have been signed into law. Twenty-three bills have been tabled, failed to pass, or vetoed.
• Bills in 12 states would ban the use of diversity statements in institutional hiring.
• Bills in seven states would prohibit colleges from having DEI offices or staff.
• Bills in 12 states would ban mandatory DEI training.
• Bills in seven states would ban using race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in admissions or employment.

“We are glad that the public has found value in our DEI Legislation Tracker as a resource dedicated to monitoring DEI efforts in state legislatures,” said Mike Riley, President and Editor in Chief of The Chronicle of Higher Education. “This tool not only keeps the public aware of the evolving landscape of DEI policies in higher education, but it also allows The Chronicle to report on initiatives that promote a more inclusive learning environment.”

The Chronicle DEI Legislation Tracker will continue to monitor any additional proposed bills, and it will track those that are approved by state legislatures and reach governors’ desks. J. Brian Charles, lead reporter for the tracker who also covers politics in higher education, is available for interviews to provide more details and context.

About The Chronicle of Higher Education:

The Chronicle of Higher Education, founded in 1966, is a privately owned, independent news and information organization. Every month, The Chronicle provides more than 1.5 million professionals across higher education the right information to make the best decisions for their students, institutions, and careers. For more than five decades, The Chronicle has been the unrivaled leader in higher-ed journalism, providing award-winning news and information, deep insights, and opportunities for professional growth to those who shape colleges and universities. It is owned by The Chronicle of Higher Education Inc., which publishes The Chronicle of Higher Education, Arts & Letters Daily, and The Chronicle Review.

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