A federal judge in Baltimore blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order halting federally funded diversity, equity and inclusion programs, giving such programs a moment to breathe while they attempt to respond.
United States District Judge Adam Abelson issued a federal injunction after a lawsuit was filed on Feb. 3 by the city of Baltimore, the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, the American Association of University Professors and Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, according to WBALTV. The injunction, issued on Feb. 21, prevents the Trump administration from withholding any funds until the lawsuit is completed.
“[Attacking DEI] directly threatens many programs and entities that serve our community on a daily basis for no other reason than political posturing,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott in a statement issued after the lawsuit was filed.
The Talent Development program at the University of Rhode Island is one of these DEI programs working to navigate Trump’s order and the uncertainty that comes with it.
TD is a special admissions program for students of color and those with disadvantaged backgrounds in Rhode Island, according to their web page. Established in 1968 after the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Talent Development aims to create a nationally recognized program committed to increasing accessibility to higher education.
The TD program is funded by a combination of tuition, fees, state money and funds from the non-profit URI Foundation, according to a Providence Journal article. TD students also don’t have to pay enrollment fees, allowing students to save up to $500.
Students in the TD program are eligible for a number of program-specific scholarships and grants. There are eight separate scholarships dedicated to the TD program, according to the 2022 URI endowment list. The scholarships range in value and can be used for anything from tuition expenses to books to any “additional expenses.” A number of these scholarships were created by private donors, like the Eric L. Osterberg Memorial Endowment.
While these scholarships do not receive federal funding, they could still be affected by the funding freeze, according to Forbes. Institutions that receive federal funding may have to dip into their endowments to replace funds, but URI endowments can’t be used for things other than specified.
“Endowment funds are often designated for a specific purpose.” said Austen Farrell, the chief marketing officer of the URI Foundation and Alumni Engagement. “So if circumstances change, the university or the foundation can’t just reach in and move that money around.”
Funds earmarked for the TD program cannot be dipped into to support other university expenses, according to Jackie Nowell, vice president of donor relations and engagement for the URI Foundation and Alumni Engagement.
“There’s a handful of scholarships that have been set up, that donors have set up to support students in that program,” said Nowell. “They will not be impacted.”
While the scholarships may be unaffected, the nonprofits that support the TD program could see a sharp increase in demand.
“It is important that nonprofits evaluate their revenue streams and make plans to supplement federal funding which may be unreliable at this time,” an article from the Hedgeman Law Firm said. The law firm claims that nonprofits have already started to prepare for potential disaster.
