Woke protesters at UNM have meltdown as school ends DEI
The University of New Mexico (UNM) has found itself at the center of a growing national debate after it began rolling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This shift comes in response to new federal guidance aimed at dismantling discriminatory practices that, under the guise of equity, have promoted race-based preferences, undermining the American principle of equal opportunity for all.
Eric Rodriguez, a student at UNM, admitted to the Santa Fe New Mexican that he might not have made it into the university on merit alone. “Maybe none of this would have happened,” he said, reflecting on his admission, which was aided by policies favoring Hispanic applicants and scholarships based on race (a moot point since New Mexico is a majority minority state). Now, with these systems being phased out, Rodriguez expressed uncertainty about the future for students like him. However, the real question is why anyone—regardless of background—should feel entitled to admission based on race instead of merit and character.
UNM’s decision follows a February 14 directive from the U.S. Department of Education warning schools to eliminate DEI-based admissions and employment criteria or risk losing federal funding. UNM President Garnett Stokes responded to criticism by saying that “adapting to new legal frameworks is not submission; it is a mechanism … to identify new paths for meeting our mission and achieving our goals while remaining compliant with federal law.” Her stance underscores a basic reality: no public institution can expect to retain federal dollars while willfully violating federal standards rooted in fairness and colorblind equality.
While the change has provoked backlash from left-wing student groups and faculty unions, it is a necessary and commendable course correction. Hundreds protested outside UNM’s Scholes Hall during a “National Day of Action,” accusing the school of “capitulating” to conservative political pressure. But what they fail to recognize is that DEI, as implemented, has become a thinly veiled system of racial favoritism—one that punishes individuals based on immutable characteristics like race or gender while rewarding others under the false pretense of justice.
Steph Flores of the UNM Graduate and Professional Student Association demanded that administrators not just “say” they support minority students but show it. However, true support must come through fostering academic excellence and personal responsibility—not permanent reliance on identity-based handouts.
Notably, critics like Mark Campbell of Students for Justice in Palestine brushed off funding concerns, mocking UNM’s financial limitations. Yet, unlike billion-dollar institutions like Harvard, UNM’s endowment sits at around $500 million—hardly an excess cushion to risk over ideological posturing. Harvard may indulge in defiance, but UNM seems to be prioritizing fiscal survival.
Even allegations of visa revocations for international students have been weaponized by protest organizers without evidence, revealing how far the outrage machine will go to prop up failed DEI programs.
President Trump’s administration and its ideological heirs are not attempting to strip rights away—they are working to restore a system based on merit, equality under the law, and individual dignity. Programs that treat people differently because of their race are not progressive; they are regressive and unconstitutional.
Woke protesters at UNM have meltdown as school ends DEI Read More »