DEI Under Fire: Reimagining Strategy for an Inclusive Future

In today’s climate, DEI is under sustained attack-from political leaders, legal challengers, and cultural critics. These efforts seek not only to dismantle programs, but to undermine the very values of equity, inclusion, and belonging in education and society. But this moment also offers an opportunity. Rather than retreat, institutions must evolve: shifting from performative or compliance-based DEI to bold, values-driven, future-focused strategies. This plenary will explore how higher education leaders, faculty, and staff can reimagine DEI as a catalyst for institutional resilience, innovation, and community engagement. We’ll unpack the forces behind the backlash, expose the myths fueling anti-DEI rhetoric, and offer actionable frameworks that protect equity while advancing learning, academic freedom, and inclusive excellence. You’ll leave equipped not just to defend DEI-but to lead it forward. This is not just a fight for programs. It’s a call to reaffirm purpose, reclaim narrative, and realign strategy with the future we’re all trying to build.