After the Legislature axed $1.7 million in University of Wyoming funding and prohibited state spending on the school’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, a university working group is proposing possible steps forward and UW President Ed Seidel wants to hear what you think.
TELL PRES. SEIDEL WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT DEI AT UW
In a report released earlier this week, the group of faculty, staff, students and administrators offered five possible ways to deal specifically with the office:
- Fund the office with private support.
- Continue to fund the office with state funds under a new name.
- Reorganize or consolidate the office under another re-named university “unit.”
- Close the office, terminate employees and redirect some of its duties elsewhere.
- Close the office, terminate employees and redirect only federally required duties elsewhere.
Since last year, The Chronicle of Higher Learning reported that at least 26 states and the U.S. Congress have introduced more than 70 bills to restrict or remove DEI programs at colleges and universities. The bills would limit diversity efforts in a range of ways, including prohibiting diversity statements, preventing schools from considering race or other similar factors in admissions, and banning DEI offices at schools.
Meanwhile, similar groups have taken aim at corporate diversity programs at businesses including major airlines, tech companies, and law firms. Many corporate offices have eliminated or withdrawn DEI programs to avoid backlash.
The efforts are also just plain counter to where our country is and where it’s going. We are a diverse nation that, if trends continue as expected, will only become more diverse. This is a good thing!
But in order to get people to buy into the idea that DEI is a bad thing, opponents have to turn the very meaning of the words “diversity,” “equity” and “inclusion” on their heads and convince the masses they are bad for the country. They are not. We hope you agree.
Please let UW know what you think. The survey isn’t just for students or faculty – they want to hear from everyone in the state. But don’t wait – the survey closes at midnight Sunday, April 21.
