The Kansas Board of Regents unanimously approved definitions to comply with a new state law barring public colleges from requiring certain race-related coursework. The board defined DEI-CRT to include instruction that “intentionally establishes and promotes” preferential treatment based on race and related identity categories. The approved language also defines critical race theory content and, importantly, explicitly excludes broader discussions of race, racism, and civil-rights history from the definition. University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod said “promotes” creates ambiguity for faculty course design, while regents emphasized the carve-outs as key to protecting difficult topic instruction. The policy is set to take effect in the 2028-29 academic year, with exemptions possible for programs primarily focused on racial, ethnic, or gender studies. The board also must certify compliance by the end of July.