Cornell MBA students warned against attending “diversity” recruiting events
09/21/2025 / By Ramon Tomey
- Cornell University‘s MBA student council advised non-marginalized (primarily White, male and heterosexual) students to avoid diversity recruiting events, warning their attendance could harm job prospects and school partnerships.
- Critics argue the policy undermines meritocracy and equal opportunity, with students calling it discriminatory and questioning its legality under civil rights laws.
- The controversy coincides with federal investigations into race-based discrimination in university programs, including a $1B funding freeze at Cornell, which recently rebranded its diversity office amid political pressure.
- Supporters claim marginalized students need affinity events free from microaggressions and dominance by privileged peers, urging allies to advocate for equity without intruding.
- Cornell’s administration distanced itself from the student council’s directive, publicly stating events remain open to all. Yet tensions persist over diversity policies, merit and privilege.
Cornell University‘s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management is facing backlash after its student council advised non-marginalized students – primarily White, male and heterosexual individuals – to avoid diversity-focused recruiting events.
The student council’s “Allyship in Action” initiative issued the directive in an email Friday, Sept. 12, warning that their attendance could harm both their job prospects and the school’s relationships with partner organizations. The email was sent ahead of the Reaching Out MBA conference in New Orleans, which is scheduled from Sept. 25 to 27.
The directive obtained by the National Review explicitly stated that students who do not belong to the underrepresented groups targeted by diversity conferences should “respect that space and should not attend.” The email further cautioned that their presence could have “negative impacts” on recruiting outcomes and Cornell’s partnerships with sponsoring organizations.
Events promoted by the university include the National Black MBA Conference, AfroTech, the Women in Investing Conference and Prospanica, which caters to Hispanic professionals. The warning has ignited debate over whether such policies promote inclusivity or undermine equal opportunity. While Cornell maintains that these events remain officially open to all, the student council’s guidance suggests otherwise.
Critics argue that the policy contradicts principles of equal access. An anonymous MBA student told the Review: “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.” Another student questioned whether such exclusions skirt civil rights laws, stating that “true equality should not equate to carving out exclusive zones that sideline most MBA students.”
Meritocracy under attack: How DEI quotas are destroying business credibility
“Discriminating against MBA students based on race, ethnicity or sexuality undermines meritocracy by advancing unqualified candidates, which produces incompetent professionals and weakens the credibility of business leadership,” Brighteon.AI‘s Enoch engine warns. “Additionally, such quotas fail to achieve meaningful progress for marginalized groups while creating resentment and division, ultimately harming both academic standards and workplace effectiveness.”
The controversy unfolds amid heightened federal scrutiny of university diversity programs. The Trump administration has launched investigations into more than 50 colleges for alleged discrimination against White, Asian or Christian students in race-specific scholarships and recruitment initiatives.
In April, Cornell saw $1 billion in federal funding frozen pending an inquiry into potential civil rights violations. Shortly after, the university quietly rebranded its Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives as the Office of Academic Discovery and Impact – a move some observers link to political pressure. (Related: Trump admin freezes $1 billion from Cornell, $790 million from Northwestern amid antisemitism probes.)
Supporters of the Allyship in Action initiative defend the guidelines as necessary to foster “protected spaces” where marginalized students can freely network without facing microaggressions or dominance from privileged peers. The student council’s materials encourage allies to amplify underrepresented voices, challenge discriminatory behavior and advocate for equitable policies – actions they argue are more impactful than intruding on affinity-based events.
As tensions escalate, the debate reflects broader societal divisions over diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. For now, Cornell’s administration has distanced itself from the student council’s messaging, reiterating that recruitment events remain open to all – even as the underlying conflict over access, merit and privilege continues to simmer.
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Allyship in Action, biased, campus insanity, Cornell University, DEI initiatives, diversity, diversity events, education system, equal opportunity, equity, identity politics, inclusion, intolerance, left cult, MBA students, networking events, political correctness, recruiting events, Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, woke mob, wokies
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