Folt stands by DEI shakeup
Tomo Chien & Matthew Royer
March 05, 2025
Good morning. It’s Wednesday, and we expect USC to jack tuition soon. Let’s have some fun with this: Reply directly to this email with what you think next year’s undergraduate tuition will be.
Whoever’s closest will win free Morning, Trojan stickers and a shoutout in the newsletter. Onto the five USC, Los Angeles, and California stories you need to know for today.
1.
USC President Carol Folt insisted that not all recent changes to DEI programs were a reaction to Donald Trump’s directives. “That was something that people have been working on for a long time,” Folt told student media, referring specifically to the axing of the DEI office. She added that the university plans to comply with the law.
2.
A $10 million gift from a Marshall alum will fund a new real estate education center at USC’s business school. The donation will create a real estate chair and endowed scholarship, boost research in the field, and provide funds to match future donations to the program.
3.
DPS detained one person for allegedly assaulting an officer while protesting Charlie Kirk’s raucous visit to campus Monday. The conservative provocateur drew a crowd of hundreds near Tommy Trojan with his claims that “police brutality is largely a lie” and “white privilege doesn’t exist.”
4.
The LA City Council overwhelmingly rejected former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley’s bid to overturn her ousting over her handling of the Palisades fire. One council member chastised Crowley for making public budget grievances while the fire was still raging. “The chief chose the wrong time and wrong place,” the council member said.
5.
Job-seeking students are rethinking their career paths as Trump administration policies have increased uncertainty in the hiring market. Rising inflation and mounting layoffs have one senior even wishing she could change majors to avoid “living to work rather than working to live.”