On Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued the executive order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.” Later, on Feb. 14, 2025, the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights put out the Dear Colleague letter.
Whitworth’s student body has responded to these events with a movement that ensures the continued commitment and protection of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs at Whitworth.
Led by Niraj Pandey, the international student senator, a “Resolution to Protect and Uphold Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Whitworth University” was drafted and sent out to international students for signatures of approval. The international student body backed the resolution, and it was then presented to ASWU on March 5, 2025. Pandey stated that within the next weeks, the resolution will follow a slow release that will start with campus clubs seeking their advocacy and then move wider to the student body.
According to Pandey, in the next three weeks, another vote will be held during the ASWU meeting to pass the resolution. To pass the resolution it needs a two-thirds vote from the student body. Pandey plans on organizing petitions and other outreach strategies to keep the student body informed and participating.
The resolution asks for two actions. First, the resolution asks ASWU to “denounce federal overreach that compromises Whitworth’s values.” ASWU’s denouncement follows three steps: to “formally issue a statement”, “advocate for institutional independence,” and “seek solidarity with peer institutions”.
The second part of the resolution asks to “hold Whitworth’s Leadership Accountable.” The resolution also makes requests for the Board of Trustees to publicly affirm Whitworth’s mission and protect its students.
All senators have a copy of the resolution, and students can ask their senators for a copy and can enter into conversation with them about the upcoming vote to make their voices heard. The ASWU bylaws state “Senators and representatives should make every effort to assure that their vote reflects the best interests of their constituencies and are not obligated to vote according to the majority opinion of their constituents.”
Pandey remarked that the resolution was written primarily using the language of DEI that has been written by Whitworth as an institution. He said that the resolution is not asking for change but asking for Whitworth to “do and say what you said you were going to do.” Pandey called the resolution a “message of compassion and community and togetherness. It is not some ideology that we are trying to antagonize or sustain.”
Pandey speaks on how students can stay involved and informed with the resolution, stating, “read the resolution, read the executive orders, follow the news, see what other universities are doing, talk to each other and talk to DEI leadership like Dr. Shari Clarke.”
Ultimately, Pandey reflected the goal of the DEI resolution with six words, “Be kind. Be gracious. Be loving,” as he calls for students to educate themselves and act in the face of uncertainty.
