Legislators target DEI programs at Idaho universities. When will leaders stand up? | Opinion
Legislative attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Idaho’s universities are likely to ratchet up in the coming session.
Legislators already passed a law banning so-called “diversity statements” when universities screen job applicants.
And last session, Republican legislators proposed a bill that would have barred the use of public funds to support diversity, equity, and inclusion offices, officers and employees and would have prohibited mandatory diversity training for students, faculty and employees at Idaho’s public institutions for higher education.
In apparent preparation for the onslaught in the coming session with an even more far-right Legislature, the State Board of Education last month preemptively introduced a series of resolutions limiting diversity, equity and inclusion policies in Idaho’s public colleges and universities.
With little discussion, board members on Nov. 21 introduced three resolutions to ensure that no central office, policy, procedure or initiative is dedicated to DEI.
State Board of Education executive director Joshua Whitworth on Monday presented the resolutions to a legislative task force on DEI, according to Idaho Education News, suggesting that instead of diversity, equity and inclusion programs, they would be lumped into “success centers,” open to all students — the equivalent of shouting “All lives matter” at a “Black Lives Matter” rally.
Unfortunately, Idaho’s university presidents appear to be bowing to the pressure.
Idaho State University announced it was restructuring the Office of Equity and Inclusion and renaming it to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX.
Programs from the Diversity Resource Center and the Gender Resource Center are set to be “integrated into broader student support services,” according to the university.
But changing names of programs and tucking away employees in other departments diminishes the effectiveness of those programs and represents a quiet acquiescence to the demands of legislators who want to eliminate all DEI efforts. They won’t simply accept it and move on.
Hiding away these services and these employees is a tacit acknowledgment that these programs and employees are not valued.
Idaho’s university presidents need to stop shying away from the debate.
University leaders need to be just that — leaders — and lead the discussion on the value that DEI programs have at their universities.
They know the value of all these programs, from the Women’s Center, Gender Equity Center, Multicultural Affairs and Veteran Services Center to the LGBTQA Office, the Native American Student Center and the Black Student Center.
They know how important these efforts are to welcome and support historically marginalized students.
They know the value of having a diverse student body, and they know that without these programs, student success rates are likely to drop.
According to the 2024 Lumina-Gallup State of Higher Education Study, Black and Hispanic students are more likely than their white peers to consider leaving their educational programs due to emotional stress, mental health issues and financial costs. Additionally, about 21% of Black students reported feeling discriminated against frequently or occasionally at their institutions.
Some legislators might try to justify eliminating DEI programs by suggesting that we should live in a colorblind society, and that’s all well and good. But, unfortunately, we don’t. That’s why we still need these programs.
When talking about the value of diversity, equity and inclusion programs, one question that needs to be asked and answered is, “Who is hurt by these programs?” If they provide value to students, faculty and staff and they cause no harm to anyone else, what’s the motivation for prohibiting them?
Whitworth, himself, said he knew of no specific complaints about access to campus support programs, according to Idaho Education News.
So what are we doing here?
State Board of Education members stressed that the introduction of the resolutions was meant to spur a discussion about diversity, equity and inclusion.
Here’s the ironic part: The State Board of Education, which is tasked with making a decision on the value of diversity programs, has very little diversity, itself.
There is perhaps no better illustration of why diversity and representation matter.
But don’t ask me. I’m the beneficiary of generational privilege that has put me in the position I’m in today. I’m the product of an excellent, well-funded public school, and my parents were able to send me to a private university and who knows what jobs I got along the way because of the color of my skin.
Yes, my grandparents worked hard for what they got, my parents worked hard to buy a house in that wealthy school district and send me to a private university, and I’ve worked hard at every job I’ve had. But I never had to fight against racism, stereotypes and sexism in addition to just working hard.
So rather than have me or a Board of Education or a couple of extremist legislators determine the value of DEI programs in Idaho’s universities, let’s have a discussion that is centered on the students who benefit most from DEI programs and the professors and the staff members who are involved in these programs.
Rather than try to hide these people away out of fear of what the Legislature might do, university presidents need to put them at the front of the conversation.
Sure, let’s have a debate about the value of DEI programs in higher education. But let’s not base decisions on feelings and fears, and let’s not make decisions while excluding the voices that we should be listening to the most.
This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 4:00 AM.
