The University of Alaska system, like many educational institutions around the nation, has systemic DEI and affirmative-action ideology woven into many of its practices, curriculum, campus events and hiring protocols.
The Trump administration, however, has made it clear that any consideration of race in hiring, admissions, scholarships and “all other aspects of student, academic and campus life” is illegal. Schools that engage in this behavior now stand to lose their coveted federal grants.
Earlier this year, the University of Alaska Board of Regents ordered all campuses to scrub their websites and other electronic or print material of references to “affirmative action,” “DEI” or “diversity, equity and inclusion.” Additionally, the regents directed that all staff position titles be purged of these references.
Colleges across the U.S. are following similar strategies – slightly modifying official language and restructuring a few programs, while continuing to promote and support DEI and affirmative action under different names.
This led to backlash from many entrenched staff, as well as left-leaning students.
In November, however, the regents are set to take yet another step by purging DEI/affirmative-action language from official university policy, which guides campus operations.
None of this, though, may actually lead to any real changes on the ground.
On Sept. 5, just hours after the regents’ most recent meeting in Juneau, in which the board discussed the proposed changes, the University of Alaska public relations arm sent out a statement. It noted that the proposed changes to policy would merely add “clarified language” in order to align with new federal rules from the Trump administration, nothing more.
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“As a practical matter, if adopted by the board [of regents] in November, the policy updates will not result in changes to UA’s current hiring or admission practices, which remain consistent with long-standing federal guidance barring discrimination,” the university stated.
Current University of Alaska policy is riddled with references to affirmative action verbiage, as well as a commitment to “recruit and retain women and minorities in positions of employment where they have been traditionally underrepresented.”
It’s unclear why elimination of that language would have no impact of current operations, unless the policy is merely window dressing to avoid losing federal grants.
Whether this is what the Trump administration had in mind, remains to be seen, but many universities around the country are following similar strategies – slightly modifying official language and restructuring a few programs, while continuing to promote and support DEI and affirmative action under different names.
4 Comments
The grotesquely bloated and inefficient U of A system needs a massive overhaul. That entails a hefty cut to it’s budget, divestment of bad real estate purchases ( bowling alley in Ketchikan, hangars in Sitka, elementary school in Fairbanks and Regal Center in Anchorage. We have the technology to deliver outstanding educational opportunities via the internet throughout the state of Alaska and U.S. The brick and mortar model is stifling; money to heat and maintain buildings in the state could be used to educate students at home. We have fiber opric bandwidth throughout the state. Come on Governor and legislators. Start chopping!
To all the dumb bell professors and the conflicted staff. Remove all of DEI in all your programs, mission statements, class instructions and under the toad stools you keep on your campuses in Alaska. Remember that your campuses need to be cleaned out and cleaned up. Change is hard to accept but the campuses of the USA are not your private little fiefdoms. Just do it and quit complaining.
University of Alaska, Has always been a wolf in sheep’s clothing
These clandestine moves on the part of universities show that there is no regret or remorse over the damage of the DEI and Affirmative Action has been. Even with proof of the damage and people killed because of DEI, there is no guilt from the universities. This lack of action on their part is insubordination. In addition the Supreme Court previously ruled against Affirmative Action. The universities again refuse to follow the law. They are in rebellion against the law of the land, the president and the Supreme Court. Who then are they beholden to? Who determines the law for them to follow. They clearly will not cooperate. Then why shoudl they be funded? Breaking the law with no cosequences leads to chaos and that is why we need God, the lawgiver. Be in daily prayer that we get back under the rule of law and that there justice will be done to those haters of white men and white boys and those actions which are blatant disobedience to the Rule of law. That includes but not limited to the murder of unborn babies and the mutilations of children.