Tennessee Republicans Push to Ban DEI at Vanderbilt Medical Center as Sen. Blackburn Cites Trump Order; UMN Researcher Resigns Amid Plagiarism

Tennessee Republicans are advancing efforts to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, with particular focus on Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). Senator Marsha Blackburn has publicly criticized VUMC for allegedly concealing its DEI programs behind password-protected pages, urging the center to terminate all DEI initiatives and comply with a recent executive order issued by former President Donald Trump. Blackburn described these initiatives as unlawful and called for the medical center to prioritize life-saving care and research over such programs. Separately, at the University of Minnesota, Professor Rachel Hardeman, known for a study linking higher infant mortality rates among Black infants treated by White doctors, has resigned amid longstanding plagiarism allegations. Her departure places the university's multimillion-dollar Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity at risk.