Universities require scholars pledge commitment to diversity

[Tennis]

Universities are increasingly relying on “diversity statements” for faculty hiring and promotion, according to a new report from the Oregon Association of Scholars.

These statements have strong ties to liberal ideology, such as the assumption of group victimization and claims for group-based entitlements, effectively making them “partisan litmus tests” to “weed out non-left wing scholars,” the association states in its report.

The association notes that many schools now link to articles explaining how to craft a diversity statement, which include affirmations that a professor will “keep the white students from dominating all classroom discussions,” or “reflect a commitment to queer visibility,” or teach students “not to thoughtlessly reproduce the standard white and Western model of legitimate knowledge.”

A focus on “racial oppression, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism and other commonly recognized forms of oppression” has also been outlined as good fodder for diversity statements, according to a column in Inside Higher Ed.

More than 20 colleges have a stated requirement that faculty must show their commitment to the ideals of “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” reports the Oregon Association of Scholars. The actual figure is likely much higher, however. A quick google search of a school’s name and “diversity statement” reveals that many institutions require such statements for entrance into PhD programs or application for faculty positions.

The University of Oregon introduced one such requirement in 2015 that a faculty member’s teaching must “reflect the diversity of the field, including the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of its scholars and practitioners.” Also, the university states a commitment to “incorporating issues of equity, implicit bias, and cultural understanding in new faculty searches.”

Similarly, the 10-campus University of California system implemented mandatory diversity statement for all new hires, and the specific criteria used to evaluate a candidate’s commitment to diversity includes whether a scholar’s research addresses “race, gender, economic justice or inequality,” according to the Oregon Association of Scholars’ report.

Portland State University’s Diversity Action Council distributes a list of 44 questions for measuring “cultural competencies” during the interview process. At Carnegie Mellon University, on the other hand, candidates can pass litmus tests like these if they are “a member of a historically underrepresented group in their field.”

Oregon Health & Science University takes their commitment to diversity one step further, according to the report, as they track and report individual faculty participation in diversity events.

The report specifically cites the University of Oregon, the University of California system, the Oregon Health & Science University, Oregon State University, and Portland State University.

“Today the mandatory ‘diversity statement’ threatens to become a ‘fifth document’ in faculty hiring and promotion at many universities (in addition to cover letter, curriculum vitae, research statement, and teaching statement),” states the Oregon Association of Scholars, which is affiliated with the right-of-center National Association of Scholars.

https://www.thecollegefix.com/post/32136/

Makes sense. Its a pretty terrible university if they don't embrace diversity. The learning experience would be sub par.

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UC San Diego Communications director Judy Piercey wrote in an email to The College Fix that “the purpose of the statement is to identify candidates who have professional skills, experience, and/or willingness to engage in activities that would enhance campus diversity and equity efforts.”

Similarly, University of Cincinnati spokesperson M.B. Reilly said in an email to The Fix last year that “asking for diversity and inclusion statements in our application processes signals that we are global, we are national and we want to become more so in drawing students, staff and faculty that reflect today’s world.”

If you don't have global appeal, you will struggle to attract international students.

[Deleted]

Sounds like an arbitery gender check some countrys enforce on thier companys, like having to turn away a well experienced/qualified male for a unexperienced unqualified female just because they have to have X% female in the company. ( just to make an example)

[Forgettable]

Quotas are, and always will be bullshit. Diversity is fine, but forcing it unnaturally is not.

[I Push Buttons]

Obviously STEM students can't truly learn anything without white people being the devil and black lives matter being thrown into the curriculum...

[PC2]

Good idea, try to tolerate diverse cultures and people.

Even if toleration is hard sometimes.

[Deleted]

Quota system is a cancer that needs do be destroyed.

Let meritocracy work, it's way better for the erradication of any type of discrimination.

[Jonnusthegreat]

Diversity really doesn't do anything. Being inclusive is extremely important, but requiring diversity is a step backwards for humankind (unless ofc sending a ship to populate Mars).

[Arenis]

the standard white and Western model of legitimate knowledge

wtf is this

[Deleted]

If you try to attain inclusiveness by excluding certain groups of people, can you truly call it diversity? Seems more like discrimination to me.

[Kalis]

wtf is this

Maybe some nonsense like decolonising science. Newton was too English, we need to stop teaching his laws.

[Deleted]

Makes sense. Its a pretty terrible university if they don't embrace diversity. The learning experience would be sub par.

Yeah, those 19th and early 20th century Western universities produced hopeless scientists who contributed absolutely 0 to the rise of West in the world.

0/10 learning experience.

[Arewn]

Diversity only brings with it the unique qualities that the diverse group have (compared to the main group).

If those qualities are positive, then the diversity is positive.
If those qualities are negative, then the diversity is negative.
If those qualities are irrelevant to environment at hand, the the diversity is irrelevant.

Diversity is not intrinsically good, it is dependent on what the divergent group brings to the table.

[Deleted]

Maybe some nonsense like decolonising science. Newton was too English, we need to stop teaching his laws.

All white math and physics should be banned (although they are actually arabian).

[MatadorMedia]

Universities are a liberal institution, this is in line with their usual level of commitment to diversity. This is just saying that they want instructors that understand and embrace multiculturalism in education. Not a big deal.

[Revi]

wtf is this

The scientific process unjustly illegitimizes the spiritual and felt knowledge of the non-white world.

Something along those lines...

[lonely zergling]

Diversity is our weakness. We are stronger together if we are of the same background.

[Deleted]

Diversity only brings with it the unique qualities that the diverse group have (compared to the main group).

If those qualities are positive, then the diversity is positive.
If those qualities are negative, then the diversity is negative.
If those qualities are irrelevant to environment at hand, the the diversity is irrelevant.

Diversity is not intrinsically good, it is dependent on what the divergent group brings to the table.

By this measure, university has to import students from China, Africa, Chile and god knows what other kind of non-Western country.

[I Push Buttons]

Universities are a liberal institution, this is in line with their usual level of commitment to diversity. This is just saying that they want instructors that understand and embrace multiculturalism in education. Not a big deal.

It literally says one example of an acceptable diversity statement is one that pledges to hold white students back.

How is that diversity?

[Pengekaer]

Universities should be apolitical IMO, as they were never meant to promote politics.

The idea that they must promote a specific policy is antithetical to their very existence and the freedom of thought they were meant to promote.

[Deleted]

So yet another attempt to bring equality into the world by discriminating some other groups. You don't get equality by being racist or sexist(which the whole idea in the OP is). You get equality by treating people equally and giving them equal opportunity = which does not mean turning away somebody because he is not of right color(non while)/gender(female/trans)/orientation(not straight). Also keep all the PC crap out of academics, unless it is some humanistic branch then do w/e it is not important anyway.