Fair and unbiased treatment – for all human beings – is the beating heart of diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
A rash of presidential executive orders signed by Donald Trump since his January 20th inauguration included one ordering the removal of DEI language and programs from federal agencies and federal contracting. This left many colleges and universities across the country scrambling, as The New York Times reported last month, with some universities “scrubbing websites and canceling events to comply with executive orders.”
“When we roll back DEI efforts, we risk weakening the very foundation of progress, creativity and excellence that our communities and institutions thrive on,” said Adrienne King, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Bucks County Chapter.
Colleges and universities who accept federal funding “to provide goods or services or when [it] is a subcontractor under a federal contract” risk being out of compliance with Trump’s new order targeting DEI practices, said Kevin LaVigne Antoine, a New Jersey resident and longtime educator.
Antoine recently retired from his position at Bucks County Community College in Newtown as associate vice president for student and veteran affairs and chief diversity officer.
“Simply receiving federal grants, or funding like Pell Grants, does not make the college a government contractor,” he explained.
READ: Dismantling DEI Is About ‘Making America White Again’
Founded in 1900, The Association of American Universities outlines in its report, “the Role of Federal Funding” how the government supports research and development at higher education institutions nationwide.
Bucks County Community College declined an interview and provided the U.S. Department of Education letter with respect to current discrimination laws.
An email request for comment by Daniel J. Kanak, BCCC vice president of marketing & communications said BCCC’s position based on the following:
The Dear Colleague letter of February 14, 2025, reminds colleges and universities that it is illegal to discriminate against students based on race, specifically addressing the prohibition of using race as a deciding factor to either withhold or provide resources and support to students. We at Bucks County Community College have not discriminated against students in the past, nor will we in the future.
As directed, the College’s leadership has been reviewing institutional policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the guidance provided in that letter.
The mission of Bucks County Community College remains unchanged. Since 1964, when the College was founded, we have been honored to serve residents from all walks of life with educational programs to help them pursue their goals and improve their lives. We remain steadfast in meeting the educational and training needs of residents from every community of the County.
Efforts to reach Delaware Valley University, a private university in Doylestown Township offering several undergraduate degrees, 12 master degrees, and one doctoral program, as well as adult education classes, were unsuccessful.
While the executive order claims to “protect civil rights” many are concerned that by its design the order will shut out those who exist in marginalized communities and create hostile environments counterproductive to effective hiring, employment and fair treatment applicants and employees.
Modern DEI initiatives are rooted in the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which made “discrimination in public facilities and federally funded programs illegal,” Antoine said.
Presidential executive orders are not the law of the land, according to King, and they often overturned by newly elected administrations.
“It [Order 13985] still has to go through legal and legislative processes before it can be fully enforced. There will likely be legal challenges and ongoing debate, so this is not the end of the story,” King said.
She added DEI practices should never be “a box to check” but rather a way to lead and hire; create safe and inclusive spaces and ensure all voices are valued.
“The organizations that are quick to roll back DEI efforts in the face of this executive order are showing us something important: they were never truly committed to the journey,” King said.
She said without a strong DEI commitment many colleges and universities may struggle to attract and retain those with a wide range of top talents – including students and faculty members.
“I am absolutely concerned about the recent executive order and its potential impact on the talent pool in Bucks County — and beyond. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices are not just about fairness — they’re about cultivating innovation, expanding perspectives and ensuring that opportunities are accessible to everyone,” King said.
READ: A New Era of Leadership for Bucks County’s NAACP Begins: Adrienne King’s Vision for Equity and Unity
Antoine, who served in his BCCC role from 2020 to this retirement in February 2025, said further examination of Trump’s order, which claims the Biden Administration “forced unlawful practices,” has no data to support the assertion.
“Just like with election fraud they will have to produce evidence” of the assertion, he said.
Antoine said The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is based on the Commerce Clause of the Constitution – not the 14th Amendment – though the two are complimentary.
All of the programs – from Affirmative Action to the Civil Rights Act and DEI programs have power that “comes from the Commerce Clause, which allows the government to go after discrimination,” he said.
Antoine said it could be argued federal contractors – including colleges and universities – will have to comply with the Commerce Clause and the 14th Amendment.
He said any college or university programs at risk of losing federal funding will have an evaluation or audit process first based on Title IX. Once notified, they will be shown where an audit claims actions are “out of compliance” and then given time to make remedies.
“From there a decision is made whether or not a violation was made and at that point a remedy would be stated. And it would be only directed at the specific department” not the entire college or university, Antoine said.
“I’ve been in higher education for 25 years, and I cannot think of an instance where a college lost all its federal funding. There is no carte blanche to pull an entire school’s funding,” he said.
