University of Southern California scraps DEI initiatives, signaling a return to merit-based excellence

03/23/2025 / By Ava Grace

The University of Southern California (USC) announced it will eliminate its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) office and review all DEI-related online content, citing compliance with federal executive orders and agency guidance.
USC’s decision aligns with a broader trend in higher education and corporate America to reevaluate DEI programs, which have faced criticism for prioritizing identity politics over merit-based standards and fostering division.
The move is linked to President Trump’s executive order banning DEI programs in federal agencies and organizations receiving federal funding.
Similar actions, such as the University of Florida‘s elimination of DEI positions, reflect growing skepticism toward these initiatives.
USC’s decision signals a potential end to divisive identity politics in education and the workplace, emphasizing a return to principles of fairness, equality and individual merit as foundational to American success.

In a surprising yet telling move, the University of Southern California (USC) has announced that it will dismantle its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) office and review all online content containing DEI-related language. This decision was reportedly framed as compliance with federal executive orders (EOs) and agency guidance.

The EO in question is widely believed to be the one signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year, which abolished DEI programs within the federal government and barred organizations implementing such initiatives from receiving federal contracts or funding. USC’s decision aligns with a growing trend among universities and corporations to reevaluate the role of DEI in their operations.

DEI programs, which aim to promote representation and fairness for historically marginalized groups, have faced increasing scrutiny for their emphasis on identity politics – often at the expense of merit-based standards. Critics argue that these initiatives have fostered division rather than unity, creating an environment where individuals are judged not by their abilities but by their race, gender or other identity markers.

Pushback against DEI rejects flawed ideology and affirms meritocracy

USC’s announcement follows a similar decision by the University of Florida, which recently eliminated all DEI positions and reallocated $50 million previously earmarked for such programs. These moves reflect a growing recognition that DEI initiatives, while well-intentioned, have often strayed from their original goals, becoming bloated bureaucracies that prioritize ideology over education. (Related: Education Department places 55 employees on paid leave as part of Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle DEI initiatives.)

The dismantling of DEI programs at USC and other institutions marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over the role of identity politics in education and the workplace. For too long, DEI initiatives have been used as a cudgel to enforce conformity and silence dissenting voices, often at the expense of free speech and academic freedom. By scrapping these programs, institutions like USC are taking a stand for merit-based excellence and reaffirming their commitment to fostering an environment where individuals are judged by their character and accomplishments, not their identity.

California, often seen as a bastion of progressive ideology, is now at the forefront of this cultural shift. The decision by USC, one of the Golden State’s most prestigious institutions, sends a powerful message: The era of divisive identity politics may finally be coming to an end.

As the nation watches this unfolding story, one thing is clear: The pushback against DEI is not just a rejection of a flawed ideology but a call to return to the principles of fairness, equality, and individual merit that have long been the foundation of American success.

Watch Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declaring that DEI is done at the University of Virginia in this Fox News interview.

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