UH President responds to Trump executive orders impacting university
Hensel emphasized that she is working closely with Hawaii's congressional delegation, Gov. Josh Green, the state attorney general, and community partners to determine how best to move forward.
LOVE BITES is back for Valentine's day
'I want to assure members of this community that leaders across the university are meeting regularly and working hard, in collaboration with the Board of Regents, to determine how we will respond to these orders,' Hensel said. 'We are also working with the governor's team and members of the legislature to ensure a coordinated and thoughtful response.'
Hensel stressed the importance of inclusion at UH, stating, 'Every individual on our campuses is a vital member of our ohana. No matter where you came from, who you are, what you believe, or who you love, we see you and you are welcome here.'
To facilitate community input, Hensel announced plans to form an advisory council made up of stakeholders from across the UH system.
Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news
The council will provide a public forum for discussion, with further details to be announced at a later date.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Axios
19 minutes ago
- Axios
Trump admin rescinds Carter‑era DEI mandates for federal hiring
The Trump administration said Friday it will end a court-imposed decree initiated by the Carter administration that eliminated a test for federal job applicants and imposed diversity hiring requirements for federal agencies. Why it matters: The move follows the administration's dramatic change to the government's interpretation of Civil Rights-era laws to focus on " anti-white racism" rather than discrimination against people of color. Driving the news: The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said it will eliminate a decree from Luevano v. Ezell, a case brought on by Black and Hispanic job applicants alleging discrimination. The DOJ said that the decree "limited the hiring practices of the federal government based on flawed and outdated theories of diversity, equity, and inclusion." It said the decree entered in 1981 "imposed draconian test review and implementation procedures" on the Office of Personnel Management. What they're saying:"For over four decades, this decree has hampered the federal government from hiring the top talent of our nation," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in a statement. "Today, the Justice Department removed that barrier and reopened federal employment opportunities based on merit—not race." U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro used the quote "by the content of their character" from the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a statement to justify the move. Reality check: The Luevano case sought to remedy decades of discrimination against Black and Hispanic job applicants who had been denied employment based on their racial background. The case ultimately settled in a 1981 consent decree, under which the federal government agreed to eliminate a test and establish two special hiring programs, Outstanding Scholar and Bilingual/Bicultural. The decree was in place for 45 years. Zoom out: The DOJ move comes days after it released new guidelines for recipients of federal funding and directed them not to be involved in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ("DEI") programs. The guidelines say that federal anti-discrimination laws apply to DEI programs and initiatives since they involve "discriminatory practices." The guidelines could have sweeping effects, possibly forcing universities to end ethnic studies programs, media companies to stop paying for staffers to attend journalists of color conferences or nonprofits to cease programs studying health disparities. Context: Since taking office, Trump has attempted to reverse many of the gains made during the Civil Rights Movement and unravel the late President Lyndon B. Johnson's civil rights legacy from six decades ago. Within hours of taking office, Trump revoked LBJ's 1965 executive order mandating "equal opportunity" for people of color and women in the recruitment, hiring and training of federal contractors. Between the lines: The moves fulfill a promise that Trump campaign allies told Axios about before the election: that the president would push to eliminate or upend programs in government and corporate America that are designed to counter racism against Black Americans and other people of color.


Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
George Mason board votes to end some DEI efforts, approve raise for president
George Mason University's governing board unanimously approved a raise for its embattled president Friday and passed a resolution to eliminate some diversity, equity and inclusion programs, capping a tense meeting that some on the Northern Virginia campus and beyond thought could end in his removal. The 1.5 percent raise for Gregory Washington matches a state-mandated raise for professional faculty like him. The university's Board of Visitors approved the increase after a three-hour closed session during which it discussed Washington's annual review.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Senate confirms anti-DEI stalwart Andrea Lucas to second term at top workplace civil rights agency
NEW YORK (AP) — The Senate confirmed Andrea Lucas to another term as commissioner of the country's workplace civil rights agency, demonstrating firm Republican support for her efforts to root out diversity programs, roll back protections for transgender workers and prioritize religious rights in the workplace. Democratic lawmakers and prominent civil rights groups fiercely opposed Lucas' confirmation, saying she has subjected the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to the whims of the president, who elevated her to acting chair in January and, in an unprecedented act, fired two of the agency's Democratic commissioners before their terms expired. Lucas, who was first appointed to the EEOC in 2020, secured another five-year term with a 52-45 party-line Senate vote on Thursday night, but it will be up to President Donald Trump if she continues as chair. Lucas has firmly aligned the EEOC with Trump's civil rights agenda, declaring during her confirmation hearing last month that she doesn't consider the agency to be independent, a position she acknowledged was a shift from her previously stated views. In compliance with Trump's executive order declaring two unchangeable sexes, the EEOC dropped lawsuits on behalf of transgender workers and stalled progress on others. Lucas has also leveraged the EEOC's enforcement powers to help the Trump administration target private institutions over their DEI programs or allegations of antisemitism. Her confirmation came a week after the EEOC secured a $21 million settlement with Columbia University over allegations of harassment against Jewish employees, part of a broader agreement with the Trump administration to restore federal research money. 'I look forward to continuing the historic progress this agency has made since the start of the second Trump Administration under my leadership — from securing multiple settlements with some of the world's largest law firms to disavow DEI and embrace merit-based hiring and other employment practices, to obtaining the largest EEOC settlement to date for victims of antisemitism on behalf of Jewish employees at Columbia University," Lucas said in a statement following her confirmation. Democrats have assailed Lucas' leadership as part of the Trump administration's wider attempts to increase his authority by politicizing agencies long considered to be independent. 'In just a few short months as Acting Chair, Andrea Lucas has warped the mission of the EEOC beyond recognition and weaponized the agency to green light discrimination, roll back protections for people who are sexually assaulted at work, and intimidate anyone who challenges President Trump," Sen. Patty Murray said in a statement. Last week, legal and civil rights groups filed a lawsuit against the EEOC claiming that is has unlawfully refused to enforce federal protections for transgender workers. But Republican senators and some business groups and religious institutions have praised Lucas' leadership, especially her commitment to rolling back Biden-era guidance and regulations strengthening protections for transgender workers and women seeking abortions, birth control and fertility treatments. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce supported Lucas' confirmation, saying in a statement that she 'believes in finding balance in EEOC policies and decisions.' The EEOC, which investigates employment discrimination in the private sector, was created by Congress under the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The dismissals of the commissioners left the EEOC without the quorum needed to make some major decisions. That will change if the Senate confirms a second Trump nominee, Britanny Panuccio. Alexandra Olson, The Associated Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data