On February 4, 2025, West Point Military Academy’s deputy commandant issued a memorandum shutting down twelve student clubs that had previously been listed as affinity groups.
The memo, signed by Deputy Commandant Chad Foster, noted that it was issued in order to comply with recent executive orders made by President Trump, as well as guidance from the Department of Defense and the Department of the Army. The executive order titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” signed by President Trump in January 2025, bars federal institutions from engaging in diversity, equity, and inclusion programming and that institutions that do not comply with the agreement risk losing federal funding.
The memo specifically ordered twelve clubs to “unpublish, deactivate, archive, or otherwise remove all public facing content.” Among the clubs named were the Asian-Pacific Forum Club, the Japanese Forum Club, the Latin Cultural Club, the Native American Heritage Forum, the National Society of Black Engineers, and the Society of Women Engineers. Some of the clubs have been active at West Point for decades.
In addition, the memo instructed West Point’s Directorate of Cadet Activities to “review and revalidate all other sanctioned clubs” to ensure that they align with presidential executive orders and guidance from the Departments of Defense and the Army.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about a public university system making decisions about extracurricular activities as a result of an ideologically driven, political directive. This is a direct encroachment by the government on the university’s authority to set policies concerning personnel, admissions, curricula, and the establishment of particular programs. External actors, including government officials and political actors have a right to free expression, but should not be permitted to impose undue pressure on universities’ academic decisions, including those relating to the hiring and firing of academic personnel, or curricula. Universities should take measures to ensure, wherever possible, that such decisions remain free from outside pressure and are driven solely by academic considerations. Such actions undermine university autonomy and inhibit institutions’ ability to function freely, undermining academic freedom and democratic society generally. Moreover, actions targeting diversity and social justice efforts may also erode core university values including social responsibility and equitable access.
Sources:
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/02/06/west-point-disbands-student-groups-women-and-minorities
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/05/west-point-cadet-clubs-disbanded-dei-trump/
https://x.com/DanLamothe/status/1886980197607485930