Cornell MBA Council Urges Non-Marginalized Students to Skip DEI Events
UPDATE: Cornell University’s MBA council has just announced a controversial directive instructing students who do not identify as part of “marginalized or underrepresented groups” to refrain from attending diversity-focused recruiting events. This warning, detailed in documents obtained by National Review, suggests that participation could jeopardize their career prospects and the university’s relationships with recruiters.
The email, circulated by the student council of Cornell’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management on Friday, introduces an initiative called “Allyship in Action.” The initiative encourages students to use their privilege to advocate for marginalized groups, asserting that those outside these groups should respect the space provided at diversity conferences.
The message warns, “Students who do not identify with the specific marginalized or underrepresented group that a diversity conference is designed for… should respect that space and should not attend.” Furthermore, it emphasizes the potential negative impact on their own recruiting outcomes and Cornell’s standing with these organizations.
This development arrives as the university gears up for next week’s Reaching Out MBA conference in New Orleans, touted as the world’s largest gathering of LGBTQ business students and alumni. Other upcoming events include the National Black MBA Conference and the Women in Investing conference.
A Cornell spokesperson confirmed that the documents reflect “student-to-student conversations” but did not comment on the implications of the council’s guidance. The official stance remains that these conferences are open to all students.
The backdrop for this controversy is Cornell’s historic Arts Quad, where tensions are rising among students regarding whether DEI recruiting conferences enhance opportunities or unfairly limit access to career networking. A Cornell MBA student, who requested anonymity, criticized the guidance, stating, “In this tough economy, where MBA job prospects are scarce for many of us, it is abhorrent to see access to intimate networking opportunities restricted based on identity rather than merit.”
This situation highlights a growing divide between Cornell’s stated values of inclusion and the council’s restrictive guidelines. The SC Johnson College of Business emphasizes its commitment to “create a welcoming environment for all,” underscoring principles of “inclusion, engagement, impact, and community.”
Cornell’s demographics reveal that more than a third of students identify as Asian, Black, Hispanic, or Indigenous, with over half of the graduate population coming from outside the United States. The school supports over 25 diversity-related student groups and offers courses like Inclusive Leadership for Organizational Impact.
These developments occur amid heightened scrutiny of Cornell’s diversity and civil rights practices following federal investigations initiated by the Trump administration, which froze over $1 billion in federal funding in April due to alleged civil rights violations.
The university recently renamed its Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives to the Office of Academic Discovery and Impact, a change some speculate is linked to the funding dispute. However, Cornell maintains that the rebranding is strategic.
As the debate unfolds, students are left grappling with the implications of allyship guidelines on equal access to career opportunities during a time of economic uncertainty.
With the national conversation surrounding diversity initiatives intensifying, it remains to be seen how this directive will affect student dynamics and professional prospects at Cornell University.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
