Oregon State University ending 2 DEI programs amid ‘inclusive excellence’ efforts

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon State University is ending two programs in 2025 as the school continues to evolve what it calls “inclusive excellence,” a university spokesperson told KOIN 6 News on Friday.

The two programs focused on efforts to increase inclusivity in the OSU community.

The university said it’s ending the Search Advocate Program, which required members to avoid bias when recruiting and hiring employees.

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The second program coming to an end is the Social Justice Education Initiative, which offers professional development, learning opportunities and other work supporting diversity.

Oregon State University Spokesman Rob Odom, vice president of university relations and marketing sent the following statement to KOIN 6 News:

As Oregon’s land grant university, Oregon State University remains committed to our foundational values of removing barriers to student access and success and ensuring every OSU student and employee is valued for their diverse lived experiences. OSU’s work to put these values into practice spans the entire organization and every college. Two programs that were part of this effort are sunsetting later this year as the university continuously evolves and matures its efforts to advance inclusive excellence at OSU:

• The Search Advocate Program trained employees to advise search committees on best practices for recruitment. These efforts have now been integrated into best practices that require every search committee member, rather than a single search committee member, to take an active role in mitigating bias in recruitment and hiring to ensure OSU continues to hire the best, most qualified employees.
• The Social Justice Education Initiative aimed to develop curiosity about different perspectives and opinions, cross-cultural communication skills, self-awareness and leadership among employees. Over time, the university’s efforts to build employee awareness and skill in these areas have significantly expanded. Programs and teams, including in the Office of Institutional Diversity, The Center for Teaching Learning and the Difference, Power and Oppression program continue to work every day to ensure OSU advances its important mission.

The Search Advocate Program and Social Justice Education Initiative have represented important investments in supporting recruitment processes and employee education at the university. The outcomes of these programs will continue to be realized and make an impact (on) OSU through many ongoing efforts.

OSU’s move to sunset the programs comes as some colleges in the United States are pulling back on diversity, equity and inclusion practices as the Trump administration threatens to cut federal funding for schools with DEI initiatives.