The College Fix

Move comes as Trump administration paused $790 million in funding to Northwestern over DEI and antisemitism concerns

Roughly a dozen Northwestern University senior administrators and staffers recently had their job titles changed to remove any reference to diversity, equity and inclusion, according to an investigation conducted by the student newspaper.

Among the changes, the former director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and outreach, Robert Brown, now has the title of director of learning and organizational strategy. Brown declined to comment to The College Fix about his new job title and whether his duties also changed.

In another example, Sheehan Fisher, formerly the associate dean of diversity and inclusion at the Graduate School, is now associate dean for the school’s Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Success.

Fisher referred The College Fix’s questions to Northwestern’s media affairs division, which has not responded to multiple emails and phone calls seeking comment.

The job title edits were first reported by the Daily Northwestern on April 9 with the headline: “A dozen Northwestern staff members’ titles changed to exclude DEI across undergraduate, graduate schools.”

The article came out the same day as news reports confirmed the Trump administration had frozen $790 million in federal funding to Northwestern University over DEI and antisemitism concerns.

An April 22 article in the Daily Northwestern reported the campus is still in limbo: “The Trump administration has not released a list of demands for NU to regain its funding. The University remains under investigation by the Education Department for alleged Title VI violations related to antisemitism.”

The funding freeze may have played a role in the decision to change the job titles.

As the Daily Northwestern reported, not only did the Graduate School change its name, but six staff members’ titles “had their titles shortened to omit references to diversity and inclusion.”

“Within the Feinberg School of Medicine, The Daily found three instances in which titles were changed to avoid diversity and inclusion terminology,” the newspaper added.

The university’s Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion has also been updated, with five staff profiles being redirected to a webpage that states “Community and Belonging at Northwestern.” The page says that Northwestern is “currently reviewing its policies and programs to ensure we meet all federal and state laws and requirements.”

In the first week of his second term, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in programs funded by the federal government, calling them discriminatory.

But last week, federal judges imposed temporary injunctions against enforcing that order as lawsuits challenging Trump’s directive make their way through the courts.

In a statement to the Daily, a campus spokesperson said the school remains “committed to ensuring that students, faculty and staff enjoy a community that is welcoming to all.”

According to Defending Education, a nonprofit advocacy group, at least 28 colleges and universities have rebranded or renamed their DEI offices. Alternative language gaining steam includes “access” “advocacy” “belonging” “community,” “resilience” and “success.”

MORE: Trump admin freezing $1 billion to Cornell and $790 million to Northwestern

IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: A gate at Northwestern University / Paul Brady Photography, Shutterstock

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