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Fewer Than Half Favor DEI On American College Campuses: Poll

Charlie Kirk Staff

05/15/2025

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Fewer Than Half Favor DEI On American College Campuses: Poll

Americans have divided opinions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at colleges and universities, with some supporting and others opposing the controversial efforts, according to a poll released Thursday.

Around 30% of respondents expressed opposition to DEI efforts in higher education, while another 30% remained neutral, based on a May poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. However, the poll also revealed that 40% of respondents either “strongly” or “somewhat” favored DEI initiatives.

The poll also revealed that the majority of Republicans opposed DEI efforts at colleges and universities, while the majority of Democrats supported them.

Approximately 60% of Republicans expressed broad opposition to DEI programs in higher education, according to the poll. In contrast, 70% of Democrats said they favored DEI initiatives on college campuses.

“I’m dead set against DEI,” Robert Ayala, a poll respondent and 81-year-old registered independent who leans Republican, said, the AP reported.

The AP-NORC poll comes on the heels of several recent surveys showing a plurality of voters supporting the end of DEI programs. A January poll from The Economist/YouGov found that 45% of voters favored eliminating DEI programs in schools and government, while 40% opposed dismantling these diversity initiatives.

President Donald Trump has spearheaded a major effort to eliminate DEI programs during his second term, targeting college campuses, K-12 education, the private sector, and the federal government.

In April, he signed an executive order seeking to “overhaul the higher education accreditation system,” adding that he believes accreditors in higher education have “abused their authority” by imposing “discriminatory” DEI-based standards.

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Charlie Kirk is the Founder and President of Turning Point USA, a national student movement dedicated to empowering young people to promote the principles of free markets and limited government.

Charlie is also the host of “The Charlie Kirk Show” podcast, which regularly ranks among the top-10 news shows on Apple podcast news charts, and is the host of the nationally syndicated daily radio show on the Salem Radio Network live from 12 - 3 PM ET.
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