(RNS) — A prominent Christian college in Nashville, Tennessee, has hired an outside consultant to review its policies after politicians allied with President Donald Trump complained the school was violating the White House’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion — commonly known as DEI — at colleges that receive federal funds.
In mid-July, U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, a Tennessee Republican, wrote to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, asking her to investigation Belmont University’s “Hope, Unity, and Belonging” program, which he claimed was DEI in disguise.
“Belmont University, like all universities, must understand that if they persist in promoting racist DEI programs in violation of their students’ rights, they will be defunded,” wrote Ogles in his letter, which cited Trump’s executive order.
DEI programs have become commonplace in America’s college and universities, especially in the wake of protests after the death of George Floyd in 2020. But in April, Trump issued an executive order that labeled DEI programs as discrimination.
Ogles asked McMahon to “initiate an immediate compliance review” of Belmont and to report to Congress about any other “rebranding” of DEI programs at other colleges. The letter also accused Harvard, George Mason University, American University and Northeastern University of similar rebranding.
April Hefner, Belmont’s vice president for marketing and communications, told Religion News Service that the school had launched an independent compliance review.
“While we make every effort to ensure compliance a …