Penn Uni Removes Websites for Diversity Offices and Initiatives

Changes at Penn’s Dental School Prompt Questions

USA: The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine have removed websites and deactivated email addresses tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The changes, first reported by The Daily Pennsylvanian on February 6, signal a potential shift in how the school approaches DEI efforts.

According to the report, the School of Dental Medicine’s diversity-related email address returned an automated “address not found” message last Thursday. Additionally, the school’s Office of Faculty Diversity & Mentorship and Student Diversity & Inclusion websites are no longer accessible.

A University spokesperson stated in a written response to The Daily Pennsylvanian, “We are reviewing these websites and programs to ensure they are consistent with our nondiscrimination policies and federal law.” This statement suggests that the removals may be part of a broader compliance effort rather than an outright abandonment of DEI principles.

Contextualizing the Shift

The timing of these changes coincides with recent announcements from Penn’s leadership regarding a review of its DEI-related programs, policies, and practices. Last week, Interim Penn President Larry Jameson announced this review in an email to the university community. The decision follows an executive order from former President Donald Trump, which mandates federally funded universities like Penn to terminate any DEI programs that could conflict with federal civil rights laws.

Christopher Gary Simmons, the School of Design’s director of inclusion and belonging, acknowledged the evolving situation in an email to The Daily Pennsylvanian. He wrote, “As you can imagine, things are fluid in many places across the University currently.”

These developments mark some of the most significant steps Penn has taken to reassess its DEI commitments. They also align with similar actions elsewhere on campus, including the removal of a transgender inclusion policy from Penn Athletics’ website and the elimination of references to “diversity,” minorities, and “underrepresented” students from several other schools and departments.

Scrutinizing the Scope of Changes

At the School of Dental Medicine, the now-defunct Office of Multicultural Affairs & Inclusion had previously provided student support, mentorship, and recruitment initiatives aimed at fostering diversity. The Office of Faculty Diversity & Mentorship, meanwhile, focused on faculty development and diversity-related programming. Archived versions of the school’s website also revealed commitments to “equitable and culturally competent” healthcare, a diversity policy, and observances such as Black History Month and discussions on antisemitism.

Despite these changes, the Dental School’s fiscal year 2025 budget includes plans to recruit an Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion—a position whose status remains unclear following the website removals. Hydar Ali, who previously served as the Associate Dean of Faculty Diversity & Mentorship, has seen his title updated online to “Associate Dean for Faculty Mentorship and Advancement.” Efforts to reach Ali for comment were unsuccessful.

Over at the School of Design, the Inclusion and Belonging initiative encompassed a wide range of activities, according to an archived version of its web page. These included forming a school-wide committee to develop DEI programs, restructuring curricula to reflect diverse perspectives, recruiting more diverse faculty and students, and collaborating with Philadelphia communities on neighborhood improvement projects.

Broader Implications Across Campus

The removal of DEI-related content is not limited to these two schools. Other parts of Penn, including the Annenberg School for Communication, the Carey Law School, the Graduate Student Center, and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, have renamed offices and initiatives to eliminate explicit mentions of “diversity” or related terms. At the School of Engineering and Applied Science, web pages detailing the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering’s DEI initiatives now lead to error messages.

While the full scope of these changes remains under investigation, their cumulative effect raises questions about the future direction of DEI efforts at Penn. For now, stakeholders across the university appear to be navigating a period of uncertainty as they balance institutional priorities with external pressures.

Looking Ahead

The removal of these websites and initiatives comes amid a national debate over the role of DEI programs in higher education. As Penn continues its internal review, observers both within and outside the university will likely monitor whether these changes represent a temporary adjustment or a more permanent realignment of priorities.