No public information about DEI changes at Yavapai Community College
According to a March 4, 2025 article in the Arizona Republic by Helen Rummel, the Maricopa County Community College District is removing various diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from its schools following increasing pressure from the Trump administration. The changes are being made to comply with guidance from the Office for Civil Rights within the U.S. Department of Education. A four-page letter from the Office required schools to remove race-based programming by February 28 or risk losing federal funding. The letter was said to be an effort to clarify existing legal requirements under Title VI, the Equal Protection Clause, and other federal civil rights principles, but apparently does not carry the force of law.
Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Steven Gonzales announced that employee affinity groups, pronouns in email signatures, and all DEI and gender identity-related language will be removed from district materials. More changes may follow to comply with evolving requirements.
Employees are no longer to be able to use money from the district to attend any conferences or events focusing on DEI, including ones that center on race, identity or national origin. Employee groups focusing on race and identity would be removed, like affinity groups and the Diversity Advisory Council.
Websites for groups like HSI EXCELlence and the Black Student Union were removed, though student clubs are not impacted. Many DEI-related pages, including those on convocation ceremonies for diverse cultural backgrounds, were also taken down.
“As a public higher education institution, the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) must comply with all local, state, and federal laws, including recently issued enforcement priorities set forth by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights,” a Maricopa Community College district spokesperson said in a statement to The Arizona Republic.
“We recognize that these required changes may be disappointing to some of our students and employees. However, we remain committed to fostering a welcoming learning environment for all students as they pursue their educational goals.”
Yavapai Community College has not yet provided the public with any information regarding what action, if any, it has taken in regard to the Trump mandates.