The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is officially shutting down its central diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) office after a comprehensive review that began nearly 18 months ago, the university confirmed last week, as per Fox News.
MIT President Sally Kornbluth announced the decision in a memo titled “How we support our community,” noting that while core community support programs will continue, the Institute Community and Equity Office (ICEO) will be phased out.
“As I’ve said many times, MIT is in the talent business,” Kornbluth stated. “Our success depends on attracting exceptionally talented people of every background, from across the country and around the world, and making sure everyone at MIT feels welcome and supported, so they can do their best work and thrive.”
The ICEO, originally established to advance MIT’s values of diversity and community through education and programming, will be “sunsetted,” Kornbluth said. The office described its mission as promoting “care, education, restorative practices, and programming that embraces, celebrates, and helps increase MIT’s diversity in all its forms.”
In addition to closing the ICEO, MIT will also eliminate the position of vice president for equity and inclusion.
A university spokesperson emphasized that the move was the result of a lengthy internal assessment and not influenced by external political pressure.
Earlier this month, MIT also became the first elite research institution to eliminate DEI-related pledges in faculty hiring and admissions, a policy that critics — including free speech watchdog FIRE — have labeled as “ideological litmus tests.”
The decision arrives amid growing national scrutiny over DEI initiatives, particularly at prestigious universities. Notably, it comes at a time when the Trump administration has publicly clashed with nearby Harvard University over similar issues, including federal funding and race-conscious admissions policies.
