Michigan State University Cancels Lunar New Year Lunch Amid DEI Concerns

Michigan State University canceled its Lunar New Year lunch due to concerns over diversity regulations and student feedback, while other celebrations will continue.

In light of recent executive orders from President Trump targeting regulations around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the federal sector, a significant event at Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences has been called off.

The college’s annual Lunar New Year lunch, which had been a staple of the community for several years, was set to take place on January 29 but will not proceed this year.

Impact of Executive Orders

The executive order, signed just a week prior, lacks a clear definition of what DEI entails.

However, it directs federal agencies to take action against what they categorize as illegal DEI programs within the private sphere.

Specifically, institutions like Michigan State, which boasts a substantial endowment of $4.4 billion, may find themselves under increased scrutiny as a result of these directives.

In response to the new regulations, several colleges have begun altering or removing DEI-related content from their online platforms, and numerous events have been postponed or scrapped altogether.

For instance, a conference at Rutgers University aimed at promoting registered apprenticeships among historically Black colleges also faced cancellation, though university officials attributed this decision to an external organizer’s directions instead of an internal choice.

Concerns from the Community

At Michigan State, the decision to cancel the lunch arose from concerns expressed by Chinese students, who felt uneasy about an event that seemed to favor a specific racial group.

Lauren Gaines, the director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the college, noted in an email that the atmosphere of uncertainty fostered by the recent executive orders regarding immigration and DEI played a significant role in this decision.

Gaines emphasized the importance of being sensitive to students’ feelings about gatherings centered around particular cultural traditions.

Following this, Dean Heidi Hennink-Kaminski clarified in a subsequent message that the cancellation wasn’t a formal policy shift but rather an adaptive response to an evolving situation.

Status of Other Celebrations

While Michigan State officials initially refrained from commenting when contacted, they later confirmed the cancellation of the lunch.

However, they assured that other celebrations for the Lunar New Year at the university would still go ahead as planned.

Source: Insidehighered