Drop Diversity Statements: UC's Response to Trump's DEI Funding Threats
University of California alters hiring process by removing diversity statements under Trump's DEI initiative pressure.
Siesta time for the diversity statements! The University of California is buckling under the Trump administration's funding clutch and is ditching its requirement for diversity statements in faculty hiring.
Keys to the Action
- Provost's Letter: The university's provost executive vice president for academic affairs, Katherine Newman, announced the change in a letter to campus administrators, stating that the diversity statement requirement could steer applicants from focusing on their areas of expertise or previous experiences.
- UC's Diversity Statement Requirements: Under the axed rule, academic job applicants were expected to pen essays on their work supporting diversity in their respective fields and their plans to contribute to campus diversity.
The Regents' Meeting Mic Drop
At the recent university regents meeting, UC President Michael Drake shed light on the university's monetary troubles, including an 8% state budget cut and the specter of federal funding slashes, as reported by the New York Times.
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The Trump Administration's DEI Whack-a-Mole
Last month, the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights sent a letter blasting educational institutions for discriminating against students, especially white and Asian students, as well as those from disadvantaged and low-income families. The agency accused institutions of indoctrinating students with the fallacy that the U.S. is underpinned by "systemic and structural racism." Non-compliance may lead to potential funding cuts.
The Justice Department's Antisemitism Investigation
Earlier this month, the Justice Department launched a civil rights probe into the UC system, focusing on alleged antisemitism rooted in pro-Palestinian protests linked to the Gaza war. The investigation aims to assess whether the university fosters an antisemitic hostile work environment among its professors, staff, and employees.
Tangent
Just weeks ago, the Education Department axed $400 million in federal grants and contracts for Columbia University due to its inaction in the face of Jewish students being harassed. The department warned other institutions could follow suit if they ignore illegal protests and fail to shield students from antisemitic hostility.
Find more here:
- UC Drops Diversity Statements in Hiring (New York Times)
- UC nixes diversity statements for faculty hiring (Los Angeles Times)
- Initiating changes at the University of California, Katherine Newman, the provost executive vice president for academic affairs, has announced the elimination of the diversity statement requirement in faculty hiring, citing concerns that it might divert applicants from focusing on their expertise or experiences.
- Amidst funding threats from the Trump administration, DEI programs at the University of California, Los Angeles Times reports, are experiencing a significant shift as the university suspends requirements for diversity statements in hiring.
- In the midst of Trump's crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at campuses, the University of California faces financial troubles, with a 8% state budget cut and the looming threat of federal funding slashes, and consequently announces the removal of its diversity statement requirements for faculty applicants.
