Louisiana Governor Demands Federal Investigation of College Diversity Efforts
Governor Jeff Landry of Louisiana has escalated a dispute over budget language into a significant examination of how diversity initiatives in higher education are interpreted under federal civil rights law. He has formally requested the U.S. Department of Education to investigate every public college in the state to identify diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that he claims amount to discrimination.
Expanding Civil Rights Probe
According to reports from Higher Ed Dive, Landry urged federal officials to broaden an existing civil rights investigation into the Louisiana Board of Regents and extend it statewide. The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights initiated this investigation earlier this month, focusing on language in the board's fiscal 2026 budget. This language references a goal to increase the number of graduates from underrepresented racial minorities, specifically defined as excluding White and Asian students. Similar phrasing was used in the board's fiscal 2022 budget.
Under the administration of President Donald Trump, the department is examining whether such wording violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This federal law prohibits institutions that receive federal funds from discriminating based on race, color, or national origin.
Federal Alignment and State Response
In a letter to federal authorities, Landry expressed support for a wider review. He wrote that diversity, equity, and inclusion policies have no place in Louisiana and pledged state assistance in eliminating what he described as remnants of these practices. On social media, Landry emphasized that if federal law violations exist anywhere in the system, the state wants them corrected.
Landry also positioned this effort as a departure from the policies of his predecessor, John Bel Edwards, whose term concluded in 2024. Currently, Louisiana lacks a state law banning diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in higher education. Although lawmakers have introduced such bills in recent years, none have been enacted. Consequently, the current initiative relies on federal oversight and the interpretation of Title VI.
Institutional Compliance and Broader Implications
The Louisiana Board of Regents oversees the state's three public university systems and its community college system. The outcome of the federal investigation could influence policy language across these institutions. Louisiana State University President Wade Rousse stated that the system intends to comply with all state and federal laws and is prepared to cooperate with the expanded investigation.
This dispute mirrors a broader national trend. In several conservative-led states, legislators have enacted restrictions on diversity-related programming in higher education. In Louisiana, however, the debate is unfolding through administrative channels rather than new state legislation.
Core Issues and Future Impact
At the heart of the matter is how institutions articulate goals related to student representation and graduation rates. The federal inquiry will test whether efforts to boost enrollment and completion among specific racial groups can coexist with Title VI's prohibition on race-based discrimination.
The results will not only determine the fate of specific budget language but also shape how public colleges in Louisiana frame equity goals in an increasingly stringent regulatory environment.
