Emory University is the latest to shut down its diversity, equity and inclusion office and programs, announcing in a recent memo to the campus community that new federal laws forced the decision.

“Federal laws and mandates have been implemented that require higher education institutions to alter fundamentally or even close offices and programs focused on DEI. The standards are clear, and we must act accordingly,” wrote interim President Leah Ward Sears on Sept. 3.

“Guided by the Office of General Counsel and other appropriate campus officials, we will work promptly and carefully to discontinue current DEI offices and programs. We will also work closely with each impacted employee to provide appropriate support and assistance through the transition,” she wrote.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the memo “did not detail what offices and personnel would be impacted, and Emory declined Thursday to provide more specifics, including whether academic programs would be affected.”

The newspaper reported that many students are upset about the decision, that the school is known for its dedication to DEI, and the change reflects a complete turnaround after “years of touting its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.”

“The decision further signals that President Donald Trump’s anti-DEI efforts are finding success and leaves many students wondering what will change at Georgia’s largest private Atlanta university,” it added.

The Georgia NAACP has asked for a meeting with school leaders by the end of the month, saying in a social media post it is “gravely concerned” by the decision.

As for Emory’s public counterparts, late last year the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents passed a series of regulations that curb DEI initiatives across the system’s 26 universities, establishing institutional neutrality on political issues and strengthening its prohibition of diversity statements in hiring.

According to a tally maintained by The College Fix, at least 176 colleges and universities nationwide have either closed or renamed their DEI offices in recent years. The University of Georgia closed its office, while Georgia Tech renamed it.