The College Fix

‘DEI does not have a religious component,’ education expert says 

Viterbo University in Wisconsin cited its Catholic identity to affirm its commitment to “diversity, equity, and inclusion” despite President Donald Trump’s recent order targeting DEI.

Two higher education experts told The College Fix that the school’s commitment to DEI conflicts with federal law and promotes divisive ideologies.

Recently, the President of Viterbo University sent a campuswide email forwarded to The Fix, stating, “Viterbo will continue to be a place where diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences are welcomed and respected.”

“New directives continue to raise concerns about diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a Catholic, Franciscan institution, Viterbo University’s mission is not dictated by political shifts,” President Trietley stated.

Trietley also stated, “Our Catholic Identity and mission calls us to uphold the dignity of every individual, advocate for justice and peace, and cultivate a sense of belonging … This commitment is not about any single program or policy; it reflects who we are as a Catholic, Franciscan university.”

He quoted Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II in his support of these policies. “As Pope Francis reminds us, ‘God calls on Christians to reject anything that discriminates or excludes and discards people,'” he stated.

Earlier this year, Trietley sent another email telling the student body the Trump administration’s immigration policies are causing “uncertainty for students and employees.”

He instructed students to “contact Campus Safety & Security” if they “are approached by an outside law enforcement official seeking access to facilities or student records.”

In addition, he stated the “university does not track the immigration status of students.”

The university’s DEI webpage states that it offers “programming and support for education and understanding while providing opportunities for student diversity, student voices, belonging, and action.”

Senior fellow Jonathan Butcher at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, told The College Fix via email that “DEI does not have a religious component.”

In fact, the core idea driving DEI is rooted in critical race theory, which is opposed to traditional theories that emphasize reason and individual worth, Butcher said.

DEI’s applications, including racial preferences in college admissions, violate civil rights laws, he said, adding that “…it advocates for equal outcomes regardless of our choices or decisions.”

DEI requires the government to alter the scales of justice so that some receive more than they have earned while others receive less. It is “discriminatory by definition,” Butcher told The Fix.

President Trietley, along with Viterbo University’s Office for Communications and the vice president and coordinator for DEI, did not respond to repeated requests from The Fix over the past month for comment on potential policy changes in response to Trump’s executive actions or on how the university intends to align its stated values with federal law.

Beyond ideological concerns, Manhattan Institute fellow Renu Mukherjee told The Fix via email that because the school receives federal funding, it must follow the law.

The Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions made clear that treating students differently based on their race or ethnicity is prohibited, she said.

Further, one of Trump’s recent executive orders aims to eliminate all DEI practices across the federal government.

“Guidance released by the Department of Justice and Department of Education also enforce this ruling and the principles of colorblindness and equal opportunity expressed therein,” Mukherjee said.

She said it is possible for President Trietley to continue to foster a welcoming, hospitable, and supportive environment in line with the Catholic identity and mission while complying with the law.

“If Viterbo’s DEI programs discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity in any way, propagate the notion in any way that racial minorities, for example, are oppressed in the U.S. while white Americans are oppressors, seek to equalize outcomes among various groups in any way, etc., then all that clearly sows division,” Mukherjee said.

She said efforts like these and the ideologies that support them, “pit various groups against one another, as opposed to bringing students together in shared understanding.”

Last year, the school introduced a new scholarship exclusively for female students pursuing medical school, The College Fix previously reported.

Additionally, in 2022, the communications department at Viterbo told employees to use the phrase “all” genders in place of “both” genders.

MORE: Nun who talked about ‘curtailing’ pro-life group has ‘support’ of Viterbo

IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: Viterbo University logo over an aerial view of the school; Viterbo University/Youtube

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