Should the Government Ban DEI Programs? A Debate.

Few issues have sparked as much debate in recent years as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Supporters argue DEI initiatives help correct systemic inequities and expand opportunity. Critics contend they can entrench identity politics, limit merit-based advancement, and place government inappropriately at the center of cultural disputes. The stakes are high, with implications for law, education, and the workplace.

Join us on October 28, 2025, at 7 p.m. at the Robert H Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, where two leading voices will take on this vital conversation. Ralph Richard “Rick” Banks, Professor of Law at Stanford and Faculty Director of the Stanford Center for Racial Justice, brings decades of scholarship on race, law, and inequality. Jason Riley, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and Wall Street Journal columnist, has long challenged conventional thinking on race, policy, and economics.

Together, they will debate the Resolution: Government should ban all DEI programs, with Riley arguing the affirmative and Banks the negative. Moderating this discussion of the promise and pitfalls of DEI - and whether the government should regulate, require, or rethink its role in shaping these initiatives - will be Carine Hajjar, Boston Globe Opinion Writer & Editorial Board Member and Steamboat Institute Public Policy Fellow. This event is free and open to the public. 

In remarks at our 2023 debate, Robert H Smith School Dean Prabhudev Konana remarked, “The best form of education is through creating thought leaders, independent thinkers and critical thinkers. How do you do that? You provide evidence, arguments and different viewpoints. You make up your own mind, not just believing what people think you should believe.” 

The Ed Snider Center for Enterprise and Markets in collaboration with the Steamboat Institute, is proud to provide this experiential learning opportunity for students. Pizza will be served prior to the event in the Grand Atrium; registration is required.