Chapman vice presidents on leave without explanation amid federal discrimination investigations

Photo by Braylan Enscoe, Staff Photographer

Provost Norma Bouchard and Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Reg Stewart are on a leave of absence from their positions — without any explanation.

On March 12, President Daniele C. Struppa sent an email to faculty and staff alerting them that two key members of Chapman faculty are currently not in their positions. 

“I write to you today to provide some leadership updates,” Struppa wrote in the email. “Norma Bouchard, EVP, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, and Reg Stewart, our VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, are currently on leave.”

Struppa did not provide an explanation in his initial email, but he added at the end, “I will provide additional updates regarding leadership transition matters soon.”

The Panther has since reached out to Struppa for comment, but he replied that he was unable to provide any further information due to privacy laws. 

This news comes only two days after Chapman was announced as one of the 60 schools under investigation for antisemitism by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights following a report filed by a former student.

If the investigation finds Chapman guilty and the university does not take actions to adjust to President Donald Trump’s recent orders, the school is at risk of losing federal funding, according to a press release by the education department.

Many universities across the country have been grappling with the elimination of DEI programs by the Trump administration. Schools have been scrubbing DEI information from their websites, fired related faculty members and some have gone as far as to abolish their programs completely.

It is still unclear exactly how Chapman’s DEI department will be affected, but conversations are happening to adjust the university's operations to ensure that it continues to comply with the law. 

“Chapman University takes very seriously its commitment to create a sense of welcome and belonging for all of its students and that has not changed,” Gabriela Castaneda, who is stepping up as the lead of the DEI team and operations, told The Panther. “The Department of Education Office of Civil Rights has recently released communications regarding DEI and legal requirements pertaining to race discrimination, which are applicable to educational institutions that receive federal funding including Chapman.”

For now, the DEI department’s website has been altered to no longer include information about the DEI department beyond the directory and links to news articles. Additionally, the page no longer shows up in the google search engine when looking up Chapman’s DEI department. 

“We are in the process of taking a careful look at university communications and operations to bolster our efforts around DEI in a way that underlines Chapman’s longstanding and continuing commitment to all of our students and other community members of all backgrounds and continues to comply with applicable law,” said Castaneda.

Chapman’s DEI department, which was established in 2021, was introduced and shaped by Stewart, its inaugural vice president. 

Since then, it’s been expanded to include a director for Hispanic/Latinx achievement, a director for Black excellence and achievement, a director for Middle Eastern and North African achievement and a director for LGBTQ+ pride and achievement.

The department has hosted various events, such as Women of Distinction receptions, the Black Book Nook and the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Awards. 

At the 3rd annual award ceremony, which took place in January, the DEI office presented the Student Organization Award to Chapman’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) club for its on-campus advocacy. 

Struppa then sent an email to the Chapman community expressing his criticism against the department recognizing SJP. Stewart told The Panther that the DEI office rescinded the award following Struppa’s email. 

The Panther reached out to both Bouchard and Stewart asking for comment; an automated message stating that they are on leave was sent in response.

This is a developing story that The Panther will continue to report on as the situation unfolds.