Editor’s note: Information in this article, originally published March 19, 2025, has been corrected to accurately reflect the name of Huang’s department and the union.

Some graduate students are expressing concern surrounding the Trump administration’s executive order ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs as well as the University’s changes in response to the order. 

DEI-related mandated course credits have been removed for all UNC System students, and the University has ended programs such as the Black Male Initiative, a living and learning village.

Lucie Heron, a graduate student in English, said the University has not been clear about how the changing DEI landscape will affect students.

“A lot of graduate students who are also instructors have felt particularly uncertain about how these anti-DEI measures and these things being scaled back or rolled back affect us,” Heron said. “And [we] have not received as much clarity about how those things affect us, whether that be syllabus material, things that we teach, if those things will be censored in any sort of way.”

Heron also mentioned many graduate students are concerned about how the recent executive order could impact students who are immigrants.

“I know a lot of our students have been concerned about being able to travel back home and if they’ll be able to come back,” Heron said. 

Hwa Huang, a doctoral student in marine, earth and atmospheric sciences and a member of the Graduate Workers Union, said the elimination of DEI programs and the DEI course requirement is particularly concerning for workers in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Huang said he is worried about cuts to pay and conditions for graduate workers in the college.

“If the administration, who do not understand the value of it, decides that ‘Oh, we don’t need this class’ this is going to give them more reason to make the working conditions worse for CHASS,” Huang said.

Heron said they see the rolling back of DEI measures as a step back that could lead to fewer students from marginalized backgrounds represented at the University.

“I think that the whole premise of why these DEI measures have been in place goes back to the civil rights movement,” Heron said. “And because of that, we’ve seen an increase in students being represented from communities that have not been represented or have been purposefully excluded in the past.”

Huang said he is concerned about how this could impact research at the University, including the potential for censorship of certain topics or marginalized groups, and urged the University to support academic freedom.

Heron believes the University should communicate with students more directly and oppose the federal government’s efforts where possible.

“It’s important for the University to communicate with its students more directly about these concerns that students have, facing funding, facing discrimination,” Heron said. “I think the University should not comply with the government’s threats to these infringements on our free speech.”

Huang agreed that the University should oppose the federal government’s efforts.

“First and foremost, we need them to come out and say that they will prioritize protecting student rights,” Huang said.

Huang said the union is participating in a letter campaign, in which 174 letters were sent to University administration urging them to oppose the changes and commit to “protecting student rights.”

The University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The North Carolina Republican Party responded to Technician’s request to comment with an email statement, citing “illegal discrimination” as a core reason for their opposition of DEI in universities. 

“President Trump’s executive orders are based on two things: ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based decisions,” the Republican Party wrote. “Colleges and universities have gone far beyond this approach, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action. Especially in regards to universities which receive funds from taxpayers, these policies have been detrimental. We commend President Trump and his administration for taking these actions that will benefit all North Carolinians.”

Heron said students should be concerned about what they say are infringements on the right to freedom of speech and the changes to DEI programs.

“DEI doesn’t just apply to certain groups; it’s for everyone, right?” Heron said. “This has far-reaching consequences for everyone, and yes, I think the attack on free speech should be concerning.”