RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) announced on Friday that it has closed its division dedicated towards diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives following an executive order President Donald Trump signed earlier this year. In a statement sent to the VCU communi ty on Friday, March 21, President Michael Rao said that a resolution had been approved by the university's board of visitors, ensuring adherence to laws about discrimination at the federal and state level. This decision comes after Trump signed Executive Order 14173 on January 21, which aims to work towards "ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity" in the words of the order. As a result, VCU has discontinued its Division of Inclusive Excellence, but attempted to reassure community members that programs from the division may be transitioned to "other areas" when deemed appropriate. ‘This saddens us deeply’: RPS responds to President Trump’s dismantling of the DOE They are not the first institution of higher education in Virginia to make this change -- just yesterday a decision was made by the Virginia Community College System's (VCCS) to end DEI initiatives at community colleges throughout the commonwealth. The University of Virginia (UVA) made the same decision around a week ago, also dissolving its central office of DEI at the behest of Trump's January order. Several online links to the Division of Inclusive Excellence webpage on VCU's website have now been redirected to its homepage. ...read more read less