The DEI Penalty: The Effects of University Diversity Efforts on Perceptions of Quality and Status Threat

Abstract

This article investigates perceptions of university quality and status threat among White and non-White Democrats and Republicans in response to a curriculum emphasizing diversity. We hypothesize that Americans in general will perceive a university with a diversity-focused curriculum as low quality and that White Americans (particularly Republicans) will perceive the university as posing a status threat. We test our hypotheses with data from a survey experiment of roughly 700 Americans. White Republicans rated a university with a diversity-focused curriculum as low quality; contrary to expectations, White Democrats did not. We find partial support for our predictions regarding status threat, with Republicans indicating more status threat than Democrats. Participants, regardless of political affiliation or race, generally opposed government regulation of university curricula. Findings demonstrate a complex interplay between party affiliation, race, and perceptions of university quality, offering insight for institutions aiming to navigate the challenging environment of diversity-focused education.