The University of Michigan (UM) announced Thursday that it will abandon diversity statements for hiring, promotion and tenure decisions after an apparent push from faculty.
An eight-member faculty working group established by Provost Laurie McCauley suggested the changes, reasoning that requiring diversity statements has the “potential to limit freedom of expression and diversity of thought on campus,” according to a press release from the university. McCauley insisted UM is still committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion are three of our core values at the university,” McCauley said in a statement. “Our collective efforts in this area have produced important strides in opening opportunities for all people. As we pursue this challenging and complex work, we will continuously refine our approach.”
Students walk across the University of Michigan campus January 17, 2003 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)
The announcement comes the same day the university’s Board of Regents is expected to vote on whether to dismantle or restructure its multi-million dollar DEI program. DEI at the university has faced harsh criticism after it was revealed that the program may be contributing to strained race relations on campus. (RELATED: America’s Largest And Most Expensive DEI Program Is About To Go Up In Flames)
The working group surveyed nearly 2,000 faculty and reviewed literature and policies at other institutions before reaching its conclusion, the announcement stated.
“Critics of diversity statements perceive them as expressions of personal identity traits, support of specific ideology or opinions on socially-relevant issues, and serve as a ‘litmus test’ of whether a faculty member’s views are politically acceptable,” the working group wrote in its report, according to the university’s news release. “Thus, as currently enacted, diversity statements have the potential to limit viewpoints and reduce diversity of thought among faculty members.”
The University of Michigan did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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