Special Resources and Information for Community Members 

Are there any plans for Arcadia to cease, amend, or change its JEDI- or mission-related work or commitment? 

• Arcadia will continue building and maintaining a university community centered on belonging and empowerment for all. A central element of Arcadia’s values-based community of practice is being supportive and present for one another -- for what impacts one of us, impacts all of us. There are no plans to transition any of our mission-related commitments. We will monitor the changes in the Federal Administration, remain nimble, and continue to forge ahead with our planned programs, policies, and procedures in support of all of our students and community members. 

• A Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) is a document released by the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), that provides information to stakeholders about how the U.S. OCR interprets and intends to enforce federal law. It provides guidance only and does not have the force of law.
• That letter gave all schools that received federal funds 14 days to eliminate “illegal DEI” programs that treat students differently on the basis of race. The language used in the DCL is almost identical to that used in related Executive Orders.
• On Feb. 26, two groups filed suit against the Department of Education to block enforcement of the DCL seeking an injunction and asking the court to declare the DCL unconstitutional for reasons very similar to those set out in the injunction against the Executive Orders. 
• All student organizations and other programming at Arcadia currently allow any community member to join and do not restrict participation on the basis of race or other protected categories. As a result, our student organizations and other programming can continue to do the good work they do.
• On March 1, the U.S. Department of Education released information and answers to FAQs regarding the Feb. 14 DCL. Questions addressed include “Are Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs unlawful?”, and “Does [the Dear Colleague Letter] mean that students, teachers, and school employees may not discuss topics related to race or DEI under Title VI?” 
• The FAQs note: “Whether a policy or program violates Title VI does not depend on the use of specific terminology such as ‘Diversity,’ ‘Equity,’ or ‘Inclusion.’ Programs “focused on interests in particular cultures, heritages, and areas of the world would not in and of themselves violate Title VI … [n]or would educational, cultural, or historical observances … that celebrate or recognize historical events and contributions,” such as Black History Month, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, or similar events.” The FAQs stress that such programs must not “engage in racial exclusion or discrimination,” and must be “open to all students.” 
• The FAQs also note that the Department of Education Organization Act, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, “prohibit the Department from exercising control over the content of school curricula.” 
• The Feb. 14 DCL notes that the “guidance does not have the force and effect of law and does not bind the public or create new legal standards,” and that, “Put simply, educational institutions may neither separate or segregate students based on race, nor distribute benefits or burdens based on race.” Lawsuits have already been filed to challenge the DCL, and we will know more over time about how OCR enforces this guidance moving forward. 

Will students’ financial aid or work study be impacted by recent news of funding freezes or recent Executive Orders or Dear Colleague letters? 

• Pell grants, federal student loans, state grants, and Arcadia-awarded aid and grants are not impacted at this time. Students or families with additional questions on federal financial aid or federal work study can contact Arcadia’s Office of Financial Aid for assistance. 
• Point of contact: Office of Financial Aid or Office of Enrollment Management. 

How do changes in Title IX (restoring the 2020 regulations) affect us? 

• Title IX is a “floor, not a ceiling.” It sets the minimum requirements -- nothing prevents schools from going beyond what Title IX requires. Arcadia is committed to protecting all in our community.  
  • Title IX is very specific. It is a federal regulation that requires that certain types of sexual misconduct (hostile environment harassment, quid pro quo harassment, sexual assault, stalking, domestic violence, dating violence) go through a specific process, including a live hearing with cross-examination. Title IX applies to those specific types of misconduct based on a person's sex assigned at birth according to the current Federal Administration.
  • However, Arcadia can include in its policies any individuals that align with our Lived Values. Everyone who has been included in a protected class will continue to be included in that protected class. 
  • All protected classes will continue to be protected from harassment and discrimination at Arcadia under our policies:
    • Protected classes include age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, military status, national origin, pregnancy or related conditions, race, religion, sex, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, sex stereotypes, veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.
• What about the Executive Orders on DEI?
  • Things are changing almost daily on this front. At present, the Executive Orders regarding DEI as it applies to grants and contracts have been enjoined by a federal judge. That means the Administration cannot enforce those Executive Orders at this time.
  • The judge held that the Executive Orders were vague and violated Free Speech and Due Process rights because they lacked definitions of things like what DEI included and what “illegal” DEI programs might be.
• What is the overall effect on Arcadia?
  • We will continue to support and protect all members of our community, as we have before. Those protections will not change because we stand by those as part of our Lived Values.   
• Point of contact: Office of Equity and Civil Rights. 

Will affinity groups pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion such as the Latine Society, Black Awareness Society, AAPI, or QTSOC have to be shut down because of the recent EOs or Dear Colleague letter?

• No. Affinity groups such as the Latine Society, Black Awareness Society, AAPI, and QTSOC will not be negatively impacted. These groups are valued as integral parts of our campus community and continue to be fully supported by the University. Additionally, all student organization bylaws require that registered clubs and organizations at Arcadia welcome all students. Consequently, Arcadia’s affinity groups and similar programming will continue to operate and support our students the way they always have.
• Just like our student groups, Arcadia’s Employee Resource Groups and Alumni Affinity Groups are open to all who wish to expand their understanding or align with a specific activity or interest area. Alumni Affinity Groups are a part of the broader Alumni Association.
• Points of contact: Campus Life, Alumni Association, AEDI Office.  

• Arcadia's Office of Sponsored Research and Programs has been closely following and monitoring updates regarding federal funding freezes for research and other projects funded through grants and other funding mechanisms. 
• On Feb. 7 NIH issued the Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates (notice # NOT-OD-25-068) stating that it is implementing, effective immediately, a standard indirect rate of 15 percent for all grants (current and new) in lieu of the negotiated indirect cost agreement rates that institutions currently have with the federal government. The possible loss of NIH indirect costs for Arcadia University, at present, is estimated to be less than $80K. The amount is a vague estimate since it is not clear at this point the exact methodology to be applied.
• Grant funding freezes and the NIH indirect costs rate reduction have been blocked by the courts (temporarily).
• Point of contact: Office of Sponsored Research and Programs. 

• We remain committed to welcoming, serving, and supporting all of our students, including those who are here from around the world. The Global Engagement team is monitoring news about any changes that may come related to student visas. International students can contact globalengagement@arcadia.edu with questions or concerns.
• In February, Arcadia shared with the University community protocols for potential visits from ICE, the FBI, or other organizations. 
• Point of contact: immigration@arcadia.edu. 

• Students who may be feeling uncertainty, anxiety, or anguish can connect with Counseling Services. Students also have 24/7 access to Telehealth and Wellness services through TimelyCare.
• Faculty and staff have 24/7 access to the University’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Carebridge; they provide confidential support and six free counseling sessions each year for you and your family members. 

We will continue to share information with the community on a consistent basis as it arises. If you have received these talking points and have additional questions, contact one of the appropriate University members listed above, or message arcadia@arcadia.edu.