diversity

Black, Latino, queer and Asian American student groups were among the multicultural organizations that lost their funding from the University of Missouri. University System President Mun Choi says he was responsible, citing a non-binding memo from the Justice Department.

Multicultural student organizations at the University of Missouri are losing tens of thousands of dollars in direct funding, with school leaders citing federal guidance on diversity, equity and inclusion. “We are not going to let the university lead us into the darkness,” one leader said at a town hall Monday.

The university cited a July 2025 Department of Justice memo as motivation to cut funding. However, memos are not federal law. Groups for Asian American, Black, Latino and queer students were all targeted.

U.S. attorneys cite key civil rights cases in an effort to overturn the Missouri State High School Activities Association’s policy reserving spots on its board of directors for under-represented candidates, calling it “systematic unconstitutional race and sex-based discrimination.”

The permanent exhibit at Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park in Kansas has been flagged because it mentions "equity," the lawsuit says.

The Trump administration is demanding additional student enrollment data from federally funded universities to ensure they're no longer using affirmative action methods in their admissions processes. But a rushed deadline and lack of staffing has led to problems.

From 2013-2023, overall enrollment at the University of Missouri fell about 10%, while Black student enrollment declined almost 34%. That's in stark contrast to other state universities around the country — and Black students at Mizzou have much to say about why.

A state law requires Kansas agencies and universities to eliminate any policies related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Republican lawmakers are questioning whether they should also regulate the content in college courses.

La organización Latinx Education Collaborative afirmó que en el 2019 solo el 1% de los educadores del área de Kansas City eran latinos. Un nuevo informe reveló que esa proporción casi se triplicó el año pasado escolar, pero la organización afirma que aún queda mucho por hacer.

The Latinx Education Collaborative said just 1% of educators in the Kansas City area were Latino in 2019. A new report found that share nearly tripled last school year, but the organization says there's more work to be done.

K-State leaders say they are requesting the change to comply with a new Kansas law that requires state agencies to eliminate any policies or programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The $500,000 grant will help Overland Park make its streets safer. But several community members raised concerns that the Trump administration's terms require cooperation with immigration enforcement and compliance with executive orders banning diversity.