On March 19, The Sun reported that Cornell removed much of its Equal Education and Employment Opportunity Statement, withdrawing DEI references and discrimination resources.
Now, as of March 21, the University has updated its previous EEO statement to reaffirm its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion while emphasizing recognition on “the basis of individual performance,” rather than identity and background. Additionally, discrimination resources have been restored. However, the revised statement, unlike the pre-March 2025 version, no longer includes references to affirmative action requirements.
An EEO statement is an official declaration of an organization’s dedication to equal employment opportunities, detailing legal protections and offering guidance on how employees or applicants can report discrimination. An EEO tagline is a condensed version of the statement, typically used in job listings and other company materials.
A University spokesperson attributed earlier changes to a clerical error, and noted that the affirmative action requirement changes were removed.
This comes after Trump’s executive order “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” to cease promoting “diversity” and holding federal contractors responsible for affirmative action.
"Cornell regrets any confusion caused by a recent clerical error in updating the Equal Education and Employment Opportunity Statement on our website. Our commitment to equal opportunity remains steadfast. The statement currently published includes minor edits to remove affirmative action requirements for federal contractors and to clarify the regulations that continue to apply to qualified protected veterans and individuals with disabilities," the University spokesperson wrote in an email to the Sun.
The Sun previously reported that Cornell changed its EEO statement to exclude references to DEI and discrimination resources. While now updated, the statement then read, "Cornell University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator supporting individuals with disabilities and veterans. Learn more at hr.cornell.edu/EEO.”
By contrast, the original statement emphasizes Cornell’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, reading, "Cornell University’s history of diversity and inclusion encourages all students, faculty, and staff to support a diverse and inclusive university in which to work, study, teach, research, and serve.”
Amid the changes restored to the current EEO statement references to affirmative action remain missing. The original statement prior to the March changes had explicitly stated that "Cornell University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer."
In a letter sent on Feb. 14, the ED directed federally funded academic institutions to eliminate racial preferences in admissions, hiring and programming within two weeks — after which they could face potential loss of funding or investigation. Craig Trainor, the ED’s acting assistant secretary for civil rights, referenced the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard decision, which ruled race-conscious admissions unconstitutional.
Cornell’s updated EEO statement asserts, “Cornell University's history of diversity and inclusion encourages all students, faculty and staff to support a diverse and inclusive university in which to work, study, teach, research and serve.”
The revision also restores Cornell’s commitment to diversity and inclusion by ensuring that no one is denied admission or employment based on legally protected statuses, including race, gender, disability and sexual orientation. Additionally, the statement now includes University resources for addressing bias, discrimination and misconduct through the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX.
The revised statement additionally adds protections for veterans and individuals with disabilities under federal law, referencing the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act, which mandates affirmative action by federal contractors to recruit and hire protected veterans, and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits disability discrimination in federal and contractor employment. This information was not included in earlier versions of the EEO statement.
According to the webpage, the updated language is awaiting review and approval by the Board of Trustees, who will meet in Ithaca on March 20 and 21.
