Tennessee universities are subverting laws aimed at prohibiting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices on campuses.
An undercover investigation revealed that staff members at the University of Tennessee (UT) and Vanderbilt University are rebranding their DEI programs to get around legislation prohibiting these initiatives, Fox News reported.
Instead of calling the programs “DEI,” they are using monikers such as “access and engagement” and “belonging and community.” “It’s a chess game,” said UT coordinator Will Eakin in a recording obtained by Fox News.
Most Americans aren’t signing up for irreversible decisions on minors—shocker.@Schilling1776 praises Vanderbilt University’s decision to cut funding for “gender-affirming care” for minors and shift away from DEI programs on the @mattgaetz Show. pic.twitter.com/57MBRuyMpB
— American Principles Project (@approject) July 22, 2025
The coordinator explained that the school “had to take our current programming and our future programming and make sure that it aligns so that we can do the work that we’re trying to do, while also catering to the Department of Education.” He further suggested “using language as a tool for protection” to avoid scrutiny from lawmakers.
UT’s government relations team has helped departments adapt to the legislative crackdown. “Because our government relations team is so good, they know which bills to be mindful of, how to best prepare and everything,” Eakin elaborated.
OK @AAGDhillon knows about the shenanigans of University of Tenn and Vanderbilt rebranding and renaming their DEI programs. This comes at the heals of Belmont's issue. Tennessee's higher education must do better! #TN #DEI @UTKnoxville @VanderbiltU https://t.co/FSIC7bULHh
— Williamson County GOP (@williamsontngop) July 23, 2025
He also praised UT President Randy Boyd for offering behind-the-scenes support. “Though he is a Republican, [he] cares deeply about access and engagement and he works closely with government relations when they go to Nashville.”
🚨BUSTED: @VanderbiltU's Janet Roberts was CAUGHT ON CAMERA disparaging Sen. Marsha Blackburn and hiding the school's DEI practices.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 23, 2025
"God help us...[@MarshaBlackburn's] ridiculous"
"We are heavily supported by federal funding...[so] we're not advertising diversity and… pic.twitter.com/CIxV6FCrwe
Ivie Carmouche, an academic coach at Vanderbilt’s Center for Student Wellbeing, indicated that they are taking a similar approach. She confirmed that the school is still applying DEI practices while changing the names of the programs. “Belonging and communities is like as close to that DEI work you can probably get.”
Carmouche further explained that “The language will be different because we have to kind of be strategic.”
Universities and K-12 schools did the same back in 2022 in response to states that passed laws banning critical race theory. Educators simply found creative ways to continue introducing controversial and divisive ideas to young students. Accuracy in Media went undercover to find out how they were avoiding these laws.
The organization found that teachers and staffers were rebranding certain terms to avoid violating the letter of the law. One teacher admitted to replacing “social-emotional learning” with “behavior adaptations” to conceal their actual activities.
These teachers were also pushing content from the 1619 Project, which was banned in several states. They used a content platform that repackaged articles from leftist media outlets to use in the classroom.