DEI/A Activity

This page catalogs executive orders, federal agency directives, litigation updates and other guidance and information pertaining to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs and policies.

Agency Directives to Purdue University – reviewed daily

• DEI/DEIA Cease in place for – DOE (all but the Office of Nuclear Energy, Idaho Operations Office and Office of Science – Chicago Office), DOS, DOL, NASA, and USAID
• DEI/DEIA Cease lifted for – DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, Idaho Operations Office and DOE – Office of Science – Chicago Office, NSF & CDC
• Community Benefits Plans and Justice40 Cease in place for – DOE (all but the Office of Nuclear
  Energy, Idaho Operations Office and Office of Science – Chicago Office)
• Community Benefits Plans and Justice40 Cease lifted for – DOE – Office of Nuclear Energy, Idaho Operations Office and DOE – Office of Science – Chicago Office
• Gender Ideology Cease in place for – NASA
• Gender Ideology Cease lifted for – CDC

Latest news:

• Latest News – Under Preliminary Injunction for all federal agencies
• March 10, 2025 – the court clarified the preliminary injunction to apply the injunction to all federal agencies.
  
  Specifically, the court enjoined all federal executive branch agencies, departments, and commissions
  • from pausing, cancelling or changing the terms of any existing equity-related awards, contracts, or obligations as directed in the January 20 Executive Order 14151 Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.
  • from requiring contractors to certify that the award recipient does not operate programs promoting DEI that violate applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws, and that compliance is material to the government’s payment decisions.
  • from bringing any False Claims Act or other enforcement action against a recipient.
  • The Defendants have asked the Fourth Circuit to stay the preliminary injunction pending appeal.
• February 21,2025 – Judge temporarily blocked DEI Orders.
  • A federal judge on Friday issued a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking the diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and policies nationwide for the motion filed by Plaintiffs National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, the American Association of University Professors, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, and the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, Maryland

• January 29, 2025 – The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has rescinded its Jan. 27, 2025 memorandum M-25-13: Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs.

• The president’s Executive Orders and agency-specific guidance (see below) remain in effect. Any implicated federal awards that promote Gender Ideology or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) activities should cease work on Gender Ideology and DEIA activities immediately including subrecipients performing Gender Ideology, DEI and DEIA work.
• Please continue to follow all agency directives, stop-work orders, and other official sponsor notices and directives.
  • Purdue University has received agency specific guidance that implicates federal awards related to DEI/DEIA from Department of Energy (DOE all but the Office of Nuclear Energy, Idaho Operations Office), Department of State (DOS), Department of Labor (DOL), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
• Purdue University has received agency specific guidance that implicates federal awards related to Gender Ideology from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Cease Rescinded

• March 7, 2025 – For specific awards, the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, Idaho Operations Office rescinded the cease order for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Community Benefit Plans, or Justice 40.  If these activities are provided for in any funding agreement they are voluntary and will be compensated per the agreement/contract terms.
• February 24, 2025 NSF Revises web site to remove reference to January 28, 2025 community letter. Impacted Purdue Faculty/PIs were notified.
• February 11, 2025 CDC issues a letter rescinding the January 31, 2025 Order to Cease ALL Activities Promoting Gender Ideology. Impacted Purdue Faculty/PIs were notified.
• For these implicated federal awards, SPS will be communicating with PIs directly instructing them to cease Gender Ideology, DEI, DEIA, CBP and Justice40 activity (CBP and Justice40 for DOE awards only – rescinded March 7, 2025).
• Expect that any DEI-related aspects will be removed from solicitations or not reviewed as part of the selection process.
• Performance, other than Gender Ideology, DEI, DEIA, CBP and Justice40 (CBP and Justice40 for DOE awards only – rescinded March 7, 2025) related activities, should continue as long as funding is available, unless a stop-work order or official agency communication has been issued.