The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is sunsetting its Institute Community and Equity Office. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
"This process began nearly 18 months ago," a university spokesperson told Fox News Digital, noting that the decision followed a "comprehensive assessment" of the Institute.
The ICEO, which billed itself online as a steward of "MIT’s values and their interconnections," claimed it built "community through care, education, restorative practices, and programming that embraces, celebrates, and helps increase MIT’s diversity in all its forms."
While the reassessment of the office has been over a year in the making, its closure coincides with a very public battle between the Trump administration and Harvard University over related practices. (Getty Images | iStock)
MIT's decision comes on the heels of the Trump administration's public feud with nearby Harvard University, including a recent ask to pull all federal funds – amounting to a staggering $100 million in contracts – being funneled toward the Ivy League institution.
This comes after Harvard has shown little sway in its standoff with the president over foreign student enrollment and alleged race-based admissions.
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MIT, however, has been downscaling its DEI infrastructure for some time – and the university spokesperson denied any correlation between ongoing political disputes involving Harvard and the ICEO's demise.
Kyle Schmidbauer is a production assistant for Fox News Digital. A graduate of Montclair State University in New Jersey, he joined Fox in 2022.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/massachusetts-institute-technology-shutters-dei-office-monthslong-comprehensive-assessment