![Archer's Facilities Manager, Enrique Montoya, stands in the Zeller Student Center after setting up chairs. He said he's stayed at Archer for 15 years because of his team. "It's been a fun [and] very professional environment," Montoya said. "It keeps me driven to keep coming every day without hesitating to get up in the morning."](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/montoya_edited_2-1200x800.jpg)
![NEW CHALLENGE, NEW TEAM MEMBERS: Every season, VEX creates a new game that robotics team members are faced with and have to build a robot to compete in. This year’s game forces students to create a robot that is able to stack rings onto mobile goals in order to score points. The change in games each season is something that robotics teacher Audrea Moyers appreciates.
“One of the things that I like about VEX is that they have a new problem to solve every year,” she said. ¨Even though the equipment’s the same, they have to analyze the game, and they have to come up with solutions that are unique that year. They are using their knowledge from prior years, but they have to kind of redesign a problem.”
As returning teams were faced a new game, some new teams and members had to adapt to a uncommon playing field and game.
“Three of our four teams were competing for the first time this year, and they had very different experiences match to match, so I think they learned a lot,¨ she said. ¨It’s hard just watching a video online to know how it’s actually going to be in person, so they all learned a lot about what gameplay is like, how to work with an alliance partner [and] how to adapt during the day to changes.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_9283-1-1200x800.jpg)
All VUMC academic department and center websites were instructed to remove any references to diversity, equity and inclusion and associated phrases from their websites, per email correspondence to VUMC affiliates obtained by The Hustler. Additionally, Vanderbilt’s former Student Center for Social Justice and Identity has been renamed to the Student Center for Belonging and Communities.
These moves follow President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order calling for an end to “radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing.”
Though VUMC is an independent non-profit, it has a contractual relationship with several government entities, therefore requiring it to comply with federal regulatory guidelines to maintain these subcontracts.
“Underpinning our work at VUMC is a commitment to fostering a welcoming environment, and that commitment remains steadfast. However, as our regulatory requirements change, so must our programs,” the Jan. 31 notice to VUMC affiliates reads.
Included in the now-banned language are the following words and phrases: DEI, DEIA, health equity, health disparity, health inequity, social drivers of health, social determinants of health, social justice, racial justice/equity, equal access to health care, unconscious bias, microaggression, climate change and environmental justice.
A student, granted anonymity for protection from retribution due to their current affiliation with VUMC, expressed regret that VUMC was not able to push back against the federal mandate but recognized the challenging circumstances given VUMC’s reliance on federal funding. Together, Vanderbilt and VUMC are among the top 30 institutions with the largest research and development expenditures, at over $1.08 billion in 2022, of which over 80% is federally funded.
“I wish Vanderbilt would take a bigger stance to support DEI since it’s a very important thing for universities to support, to make sure every member of their campus feels welcome,” the student said. “At the same time, I can understand where they’re coming from — a lot of Trump’s executive orders are making it hard for universities to remain supportive of DEI while still being able to receive federal funding, which is key for them to be able to continue operations.”
VUMC websites began going offline yesterday to ensure they, as well as its social media posts, are in compliance with federal requirements. VUMC declined The Hustler’s request for comment on the immediate and projected long-term implications of Trump’s executive orders.
The SCBC, formerly called the SCSJI, also revised its website. Its overall content remained relatively similar, though phrases like “inclusive engagement” changed to “engaged participation” in its mission statement, and those like “liberation, inclusion and social justice” were removed from its vision statement.
The university declined to comment on changes to the SCBC and referred The Hustler instead to university communication regarding changes to federal grants and funding.
This story was originally published on The Vanderbilt Hustler on February 4, 2025.
