Belmont University, a prominent Christian college in Nashville, has announced that it has hired an external consultant to review its policies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The review follows a request by House Representative Andy Ogles, a Republican representing Tennessee, for the US Department of Education to launch an investigation.
As Christianity Today reports, Rep. Ogles wrote a letter to the Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, calling for an inquiry into the university’s “Hope, Unity, and Belonging” programme. Ogles claims the programme is DEI in disguise.
“Belmont University, like all universities, must understand that if they persist in promoting racist DEI programmes in violation of their students’ rights, they will be defunded,” Ogles wrote to McMahon.
His letter comes months after President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting DEI initiatives at universities. Trump argues that such programmes violate federal anti-discrimination laws.
Ogles’s letter also accused Harvard, George Mason University, American University, and Northeastern University of rebranding their DEI initiatives.
He is not the only political figure expressing concerns over Belmont’s programme. US Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, also accused the university of concealing DEI efforts.
“Renaming woke-DEI programmes to circumvent compliance and public scrutiny degrades the educational experience of your students and the trust placed in institutions of higher education like Belmont,” she reportedly wrote to Belmont President Greg Jones.
In July, Department of Homeland Security official Kristi Noem also claimed that the university is obstructing immigration law by allowing undocumented students on campus without presenting proof.
“We’re seeing obstruction against federal immigration law by Belmont University,” WSMV 4 reported her saying during a press conference in Nashville. “As you know, they’ve openly said that they will house illegal immigrants on their campus and do that in defiance of the federal government.”
In a statement to the Religious News Service, a spokesperson for Belmont University said it had launched an independent compliance review.
“While we make every effort to ensure compliance and continue to maintain our belief that Belmont complies with all applicable laws, we take seriously the concerns that have been raised,” the statement reads. “With this in mind, we are bringing in an external partner to initiate an independent compliance review.”
Founded in 1890, Belmont University is a private Christian university in Nashville. Its mission statement, as listed on the university’s website, reads: “We are a Christ-centred, student-focused community, dedicated to developing diverse leaders of purpose, character, wisdom, and transformational mindset, eager and equipped to make the world a better place.”