UNM reaffirms commitment to diversity following federal guidance against race-based programs

The University of New Mexico will risk losing federal funding if it does not end race-based programs by Feb. 28, following a Department of Education memo that was sent to schools across the country Feb. 14. The memo cited Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin against any person, including within programs that receive federal funding.

As of Feb. 21, UNM will not make any changes to its operations, nor to its academic programming or student support services, according to UNM Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Cinnamon Blair.

The memo addresses all American educational institutions that receive federal funding. It named diversity, equity and inclusion programs as discriminatory against students through perpetuating “crude racial stereotypes."

UNM is a Hispanic-serving institution and has a Division for Equity & Inclusion, which was created in 2007 and tasked with the development of an institution-wide plan for diversity, equity and inclusion.

Although DEI is not explicitly defined within the Department of Education memo, DEI refers to “programs that ensure people from different backgrounds, cultures, identities and experiences feel accepted in their environments,” according to the Columbus Dispatch.

According to the memo, all educational institutions must end race-based programs by Feb. 28 or risk losing federal funding.

In 2024, UNM received about $383 million in both direct and indirect federal funding, according to Blair.

“I understand that the recent guidance has caused concern and uncertainty, especially for those connected to our support centers and programs designed to foster inclusivity and student success,” UNM President Garnett Stokes wrote in a Feb. 20 campus-wide email.

UNM will comply with all relevant laws “while preserving our commitment to student success and a welcoming campus climate,” Stokes wrote in the email.

UNM is home to resource centers for students of different racial backgrounds, including El Centro de la Raza, African American Student Services, American Indian Student Services and the Asian American Pacific Islander Resource Center.

UNM’s rapid response teams — which focus on how President Donald Trump’s administration will impact inclusive excellence, immigration policy, research funding and patient care, according to a Jan. 27 campus-wide email — will review the guidance, according to Blair.

“We know that our students also hear about the rapid changes being proposed or enacted in federal programs,” Stokes said at her State of the University address on Friday, Feb. 21. “Our rapid response groups will continue to analyze any enforced orders or regulations and will let our community know immediately our understanding of what they might mean.”

It’s unclear whether the Department of Education guidance will impact UNM’s Title V grant funding.

The Department of Education provides Title V grant funding to HSIs to “expand the educational opportunities for Hispanic Americans and other underrepresented populations,” according to the Department of Education.

In 2020, a Title V grant totaling nearly $2.7 million was awarded to UNM’s Valencia campus, according to UNM Valencia.

UNM still recognizes itself as a HSI, but can’t speak for whether the Department of Education recognizes the University as an HSI, according to Blair.

“Let me be clear - our commitment to the core values that underpin our support centers and programs will not be diminished. We have always viewed these centers and programs as playing a vital role in the success of our students,” Stokes wrote in the Feb. 20 email. “These services are not about exclusion; they are about creating a campus where every student can reach their full potential.”

Nate Bernard is the news editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @natebernard14

Maria Fernandez is a beat reporter and photographer for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo

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