While many state universities have felt pressure and restricted some aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, many institutions remain steadfast in embedding progressive ideology across all aspects of their universities. In a recent report by CriticalRace.org, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was found to still be pressuring students to accept DEI in its newly updated university catalog.
In the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, the “Teacher Education Program” (TEP) openly admits that students are considered for admission based on their “commitment to diversity.”
“To be considered for admission to the TEP, an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student must: Demonstrate a commitment to…diversity,” reads the catalog.
The program is part of UTC’s School of Education, which prepares students to teach in K–12 classroom settings across various age groups. This means that future educators who graduate from the UTC program are likely to carry this “diversity commitment” into the classrooms of persuadable young children.
The trend of embedding DEI initiatives in Education programs has become increasingly prevalent.
The Drexel University School of Education provides a resource guide to its students titled “The Importance of Diversity & Multicultural Awareness in Education,” which claims there is a necessity to introduce children to DEI concepts.
“In our increasingly diverse and multicultural society, it’s more important than ever for teachers to incorporate culturally responsive instruction in the classroom — whether teaching elementary school, middle school or high school students,” states the guide.
Other universities require education majors to enroll in DEI courses in order to graduate from the program.
At another public university, the University of Texas at Dallas, students enrolled in the Teacher Development Center’s “Grades 4–8: Social Studies” certification must complete a course titled “Strategies for Diversity.”
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was also found to promote DEI in several other programs in its latest catalog. The Social Work and Communication programs were found to require students to participate in curriculum instruction on DEI topics. The Social Work Program required its students to take a course that focuses on “diversity, equity, inclusion and an anti-racism and an anti-oppressive social work practice approach in service delivery,” while the Communication Program lists a commitment to “achieving and maintaining diversity in its curriculum….”
While the DEI crackdown has produced some results, many universities appear to be weathering the anti-DEI storm until the political climate becomes more favorable for a broader expansion of progressive ideologies on campus.
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