The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School will shut down its Office of Equal Opportunity and Engagement at the end of the summer, according to a Thursday email from Dean Sophia Lee.
The closure is the latest in a series of moves contributing to a widespread rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the University. According to Lee — who wrote to the law school community on Aug. 7 — the office will close “as its ongoing work is integrated into broader, school-wide initiatives.”
“Over the last few years, EO&E has helped advance belonging through community support, dialogue across difference, and expert guidance,” Lee wrote. “Formalizing this shift is a recognition of the importance of making these values central to everything we do.”
The office’s website is no longer accessible. According to an archived version of the website accessed by The Daily Pennsylvanian, the office previously offered several DEI-related services, including anti-bias programs and an Anti-Bias Support & Reporting Toolkit. Lee wrote that the resources listed in the toolkit "remain available, though the website for the toolkit has been taken down."
“The diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives of our community strengthen our learning spaces and facilitate an expansive world view,” the office’s archived website included. “We elevate and amplify their voices, as we promote a robust exchange of ideas and deep respect for the value of difference.”
A spokesperson for Penn Carey Law wrote to the DP that the school's "commitment to ensuring access and opportunity for all remains unwavering" remains, despite the office's closure.
“These values guide how we teach, learn, and work together, and will continue to be deeply embedded in the life of the Law School,” the spokesperson continued.
On Feb. 21 the Penn Carey Law School’s “Equity & Inclusion” webpage was removed entirely from the website and redirected users to an “Equal Opportunity” page.
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The previous webpage, which is now unavailable, read that Penn Carey Law was committed to “increasing the diversity of our legal profession by supporting access for members of communities that have been historically underrepresented.” The site also included demographic statistics about the diversity of Penn Carey Law's student body and information about a range of programs and events that help foster “an inclusive and collegial culture.”
The change aligns with 1968 Wharton graduate and President Donald Trump’s campaign against DEI programs across higher education. On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order requiring universities that receive federal funding — such as Penn — to terminate any DEI programs that could be in violation of federal civil rights laws.
In response, Penn revised longstanding University policies and initiated a widespread series of changes to DEI initiatives and programs. Policies and programs across Penn’s four undergraduate and 12 graduate schools were changed in the month following the executive order. In May, Penn Medicine scrubbed its DEI websites after the Department of Justice launched the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, jointly led by the Civil Fraud Section and Civil Rights Division.
