A national survey of college students to understand what campus supports they’ve lost due to anti-DEI initiatives
November 10, 2026 by EdTrust 
As higher education institutions continue to respond to anti-DEI attacks from the federal and state level (see our Anti-DEI Tracker Map), students bear the brunt of these changes. As these policies move from legislative and regulatory debate into campus implementation, our advocacy must demonstrate not only what has changed, but how those changes are affecting students’ learning experiences, sense of belonging, access to supports, and ability to pursue their goals.
To better understand these impacts, EdTrust engaged John Zogby Strategies to conduct a national survey of college students that also included a targeted look at Texas, Tennessee, and Louisiana, three states where anti-DEI laws and policies are reshaping campus programs and practices.
Despite the financial, social, emotional, and academic challenges students face on campus, 63% of surveyed students believe they can influence decisions at their institutions. 83% of surveyed students say support programs, scholarships, or a sense of community factored into their school choice, yet 74% of these students report that these programs have been reduced, discontinued, restructured, or renamed. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing students as critical voices in shaping campus conditions and institutional responses.
The survey findings build on research demonstrating that a college’s commitment to increasing the cultural competency of all its students, faculty, and surrounding campus communities has been shown to better prepare students of all racial backgrounds to participate in both a diverse democracy and workplace. By pairing statistically reliable findings with students’ own accounts of their experiences, the survey findings move the conversation beyond an abstract debate about DEI and toward the concrete campus conditions and supports that research shows are essential to helping all students learn, belong, and complete their education.
See the full executive analysis of the student survey findings.
Photo by Allison Shelley/Complete College Photo Library
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