The Attack on DEI in Higher Education: What's Next?
Institutional Affiliation
Nova Southeastern University
Start Date
2-11-2023 10:45 AM
End Date
2-11-2023 12:15 PM
Proposal Type
Presentation
Proposal Format
On-campus
Proposal Description
The current attack on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education across institutions in the United States is a concerning problem for academic freedom and our students' future state of scholarly teaching. In Florida, many higher educational institutions have strategic plans and even special offices dedicated to undertaking DEI programs that are now in jeopardy. The current political atmosphere in Florida has caused a lot of upheaval and concern about the future situation. The current administration of Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed legislation to prohibit state colleges and universities from funding DEI programs or activities and prohibit general education courses such as teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT). In addition, in 2022, DeSantis signed the "Stop Woke Act" legislation restricting race-based conversations and analyses in schools and businesses. As DeSantis continues to push an aggressive series of policies to block teaching or discussion about America's racist past and present and attack Black and LGBTQ+ people in the public education system, this trend is not sustainable or peaceful.
This presentation will focus on the ongoing initiatives of private universities such as Nova Southeastern University and other South Florida schools' efforts to continue promoting DEI initiatives for students, staff, and faculty. More importantly, the presentation will focus on the importance of belonging and inclusion in sustaining a high-quality education for a diverse community. Diversity enriches the academic education experience, strengthens our communities and the workplace, and provides a healthy society. The workshop aims to brainstorm and determine what is next in the DEI frontier in higher education together. Tackling what educational institutional leaders, faculty, and students can do to make headway, take concrete action, and foster an open mindset in the face of adversity will be addressed.
The Attack on DEI in Higher Education: What's Next?
The current attack on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education across institutions in the United States is a concerning problem for academic freedom and our students' future state of scholarly teaching. In Florida, many higher educational institutions have strategic plans and even special offices dedicated to undertaking DEI programs that are now in jeopardy. The current political atmosphere in Florida has caused a lot of upheaval and concern about the future situation. The current administration of Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed legislation to prohibit state colleges and universities from funding DEI programs or activities and prohibit general education courses such as teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT). In addition, in 2022, DeSantis signed the "Stop Woke Act" legislation restricting race-based conversations and analyses in schools and businesses. As DeSantis continues to push an aggressive series of policies to block teaching or discussion about America's racist past and present and attack Black and LGBTQ+ people in the public education system, this trend is not sustainable or peaceful.
This presentation will focus on the ongoing initiatives of private universities such as Nova Southeastern University and other South Florida schools' efforts to continue promoting DEI initiatives for students, staff, and faculty. More importantly, the presentation will focus on the importance of belonging and inclusion in sustaining a high-quality education for a diverse community. Diversity enriches the academic education experience, strengthens our communities and the workplace, and provides a healthy society. The workshop aims to brainstorm and determine what is next in the DEI frontier in higher education together. Tackling what educational institutional leaders, faculty, and students can do to make headway, take concrete action, and foster an open mindset in the face of adversity will be addressed.