By CJ Womack | Campus Reform
The U.S. Coast Guard Academy has disbanded its Office of Culture and Climate (OCC), while the U.S. Naval Academy continues to face legal challenges over race-conscious admissions policies.
The OCC, which previously led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts at the Academy, was eliminated in late January following President Donald Trump’s executive order, “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.”
The executive order directs every “agency, department, or commission head” to “terminate, to the maximum extent allowed by law, all DEI, DEIA, and ‘environmental justice’ offices and positions (including but not limited to ‘Chief Diversity Officer’ positions); all ‘equity action plans,’ ‘equity’ actions, initiatives, or programs, ‘equity-related’ grants or contracts; and all DEI or DEIA performance requirements for employees, contractors, or grantees.”
The ending of the OCC comes shortly after the Trump administration’s firing of Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan on Jan. 21, who was a strong advocate of DEI during her tenure.
Fagan previously stated: “Diversity was definitely not there when I entered into the service. . . .The reason it’s critical is because diverse work teams outperform homogenous teams. They’re just stronger, more resilient, have better perspective and deeper strength of thought.”
A Department of Homeland Security official cited Fagan’s “leadership deficiencies, operational failures, and inability to advance the strategic objectives of the U.S. Coast Guard,” as well as her “excessive” promotion of DEI, as the reasons for her firing.
The Naval Academy has also faced challenges to its promotion of DEI, as litigation surrounding its race-based admissions process continues. The Academy also falls under the purview of Trump’s anti-DEI executive order.
In October 2023, the nonprofit Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) sued the Academy, arguing that its “race-conscious admissions practice violates the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection principles.”
The lawsuit follows the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision striking down affirmative action at civilian colleges’ admissions.
Though U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett ruled in favor of the Naval Academy on Dec. 6, writing that “[t]he Academy has proven that this national security interest is indeed measurable and that its admissions program is narrowly tailored to meet that interest,” SFFA has promptly appealed the case and announced its intention to take it the Supreme Court, if necessary.
Certain Naval Academy students are skeptical about the role of the supposed effectiveness of DEI policies at military institutions.
One anonymous midshipman told Campus Reform:
“While it is common sense to have basic dignity and respect for everyone, there are a lot of times when the academy takes it too far in promoting affirmative action and left-leaning policies.”
The midshipman continued:
“It is common sense that military institutions focus on merit based acceptances. Simply put, if you don’t choose the best of the best, you jeopardize not only yourself, but America’s sons and daughters. . . We appreciate and respect diverse cultures but that is very different from using it as an admission advantage.”
“Since Joe Biden’s administration, the Navy has put in place radical leftist methods to attract new recruits. This worsened the issue, making the Navy’s recruitment goals much more difficult to reach,” they concluded.
A Naval Academy official told Campus Reform: “In accordance with the Department of Defense, the U.S. Naval Academy will fully execute and implement all directives outlined in the Executive Orders issued by the President, ensuring that they are carried out with utmost professionalism, efficiency, and in alignment with national security objectives.”
Twitter/X: @womackche
CJ Womack is a student at Long Beach State University, studying Political Science and Journalism, with a knack for blending analysis with storytelling. From winning awards for his news podcast at Fullerton College to interning with Congresswoman Young Kim, CJ has consistently engaged with pressing issues on local and national levels. He has managed social media campaigns and led production for popular podcasts, including “Two Nobodies With A Mic,” which grew its Instagram following to over 100K under his guidance. Driven by a commitment to unbiased reporting, CJ brings an informed, critical voice to Campus Reform
First published on Campus Reform
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