Under the 1965 law, federal contractors including MSU could use employment, promotions, demotions, recruitment and layoffs to ensure “that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment,” without regard to their race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Contractors were also required by law to state their commitment to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity in job postings.

The executive order signed by Trump said contractors could “continue to comply” with the rescinded law until yesterday, April 21. Now, MSU is taking further steps to remove references to affirmative action from its policies, websites and job postings.

These changes specifically target affirmative action in MSU’s hiring policies and practices. Affirmative action in admissions and employment at public universities has been banned in Michigan since 2006, when voters amended the state constitution to prohibit preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. However, the constitution contains an exception for affirmative action required to maintain eligibility for federal funding, meaning the policy remained active in employment at MSU.

Now that the old law has been rescinded, “affirmative action in employment is prohibited in Michigan for institutions like MSU,” a university webpage says.

To comply with the directive, MSU is removing affirmative action requirements from its Academic Hiring Manual, removing the line “MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer” from all main university websites, letterheads and job postings and revising its Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Statement, according to an email to campus leaders from General Counsel Brian Quinn obtained by The State News.

The executive order does not affect affirmative action requirements for veterans and individuals with disabilities, which Quinn wrote will remain in place.  

Quinn also directed campus leaders to take similar steps within their academic units, removing references to affirmative action in all hiring material and replacing their letterheads containing “affirmative action, equal-opportunity employer.”

MSU said in an FAQ that it will continue to ensure it is “casting a wide and inclusive net in its recruiting efforts,” as part of its commitment to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity, despite the changes.