AFSA Week in Review
The week's top news, views and other higher-ed reform highlights
AFSA HIGHLIGHTS
Damning New DEI Study Has Some in Denial, Others Saying "We Told You So" The Alma Matters Substack Page. A damning new report exposing the dark side of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts (DEI) has some observers in denial, while others are feeling vindicated and saying “we told you so.”
UVA Interrogated Student after Receiving Complaint about His ‘Make America Christian Again’ Hat Brittany Bernstein for The National Review. Simon Goldstein, a senior computer science major at the University of Virginia, thought his political-science class would be the perfect place to wear his new “Make America Christian Again” hat. Little did he imagine what would come next.
Princetonians for Free Speech Releases Annual Report Princetonians for Free Speech. The group’s annual report showcases our growth as an organization, our commitment to our mission, and our aspirations for the years to come.
NEWS
Christopher Rufo Has Trump’s Ear and Wants to End DEI for Good Douglas Belkin in the Wall Street Journal. The documentary filmmaker and writer has been waging public fights with schools, business, and government. More on Chris Rufo’s influence with Trump can be found here, here, here and here.
Trump Taps Chris Rufo To Help De-Wokify Ivy Leagues Receiving Federal Funding “Tyler Durden” for Zerohedge. President-elect Donald Trump’s administration is ramping up efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education. In a significant move, key conservative figure Christopher Rufo has been invited to present a proposal to slash federal funding for universities that maintain such programs.
Sign It Or Else John Sailer in City Journal. Unsealed documents reveal the University of Michigan’s use of diversity statements in faculty hiring.
Will the University of Michigan Abolish DEI? John Sailer in City Journal. The school is reportedly considering abandoning its infamous diversity program. More recent coverage of DEI at the University of Michigan can be found here, here and here.
Happy ‘Transgiving’ From Yale University Brendan McDonald for Campus Reform. Yale University hosted an event called “Transgiving” last week, in lieu of Thanksgiving. The school’s LGBTQ Center called on students to “Celebrate trans joy, resilience, and community.” “Transgiving” is part of the Center’s “Trans Week,” which is “all about celebrating and honoring our trans, non-binary, genderqueer, and gender-expansive community members.”
No topic or opinion off limits at new Texas college – a place where students, professors won't get "canceled" CBS 60 Minutes. In a former Texas department store, the University of Austin, known as UATX, started classes this fall with a say-anything, shout-nothing philosophy. UATX's motto is "the pursuit of truth." The school swaps DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion — for what some call MEI: merit, excellence and intelligence. UATX, co-founded by historian Niall Ferguson, launched with a focus on encouraging free speech and open debate.
DEI Corrupts Education Research Neetu Arnold in City Journal. Government agencies should choose which research projects to fund based on merit, not ideology. But an investigation into U.S. Department of Education grants reveals that administrators prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) when evaluating grant applications. In some cases, reviewers considered the racial make-up of research personnel when assessing applicants’ qualifications.
Higher ed accreditors emphasize nonpartisanship after Trump’s ‘radical left’ remark James Samuel for The College Fix. Higher education accreditation groups are emphasizing their nonpartisanship and willingness to work with Donald Trump’s in-coming administration after the president-elect promised to fire “radical Left accreditors.” Meanwhile, Trump’s transition team told The College Fix the Republican leader “will deliver” on his plan for higher education.
Debate Rages at Duke Over Institutional Neutrality Darragh Senchyna in the Duke Chronicle. A recent faculty petition advocated for Duke leadership to follow a policy of abstaining from taking positions on political and social issues, and a Chronicle survey found that two-thirds of Duke faculty respondents support such a policy. However, some faculty members worry whether institutional neutrality could make it more difficult for Duke to stand up for its students and scientific truth. Others question the very premise of such a policy.
VIEWS
Universities Have a 2025 Rendezvous With Reality Victor Davis Hanson writing for Real Clear Politics. Can out-of-control universities reform? The incoming Trump administration has floated a variety of tough-love remedies.
Against Post-Election Infantilizing Mark McNeilly for the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. Faculty should be role models for our students, not nannies, guidance counselors, or co-mourners.
The Intellectual Collapse of DEI Rich Lowry in The National Review. DEI has been one of the most morally perverse and damaging fads in recent American history.
In Defense of DEI Jeremy C. Young in Newsweek. Appeasing politicians by banning DEI offices, restricting the topics of majors and minors, and censoring faculty speech about race and gender—this is how intellectual freedom dies.
Close Department of Education? Former schools chief Betsy DeVos makes the case. Ingrid Jacques for USA TODAY. “I think you need to back up and start from asking the question, ‘Has the Department of Education actually been successful in its mission?’ And I would say by any measure, no, it’s been an abject failure,” DeVos told me. “And so looking at the failure after trillions of dollars spent and kids still in a downward trajectory, particularly following COVID academically, what can you do to depower this federal agency that is not aligned around what's right for kids, but is totally aligned around an agenda driven by what’s right for adults and their issues?”
I’m President of the Harvard Republican Club. Being Republican at Harvard Has Never Been Better. Michael Oved in The Harvard Crimson. “Notwithstanding petty efforts to undermine and intimidate campus Republicans into suppressing their viewpoints, as president of the Harvard Republican Club, I can state unequivocally that it has never been a better time to be a Republican on campus.”
The Bell Tolls for Higher Ed Richard Vedder for the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. The incoming Trump administration should make serious postsecondary reform a priority.
Should There Be A “Hippocratic Oath” for Academics? Jay Schalin in Minding The Campus. Clearly, academia’s intellectual environment needs to be more judiciously conceived, defended, and managed. One simple solution that could greatly improve the situation is to require all those who are involved with the academic enterprise to pledge to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with a healthy intellectual environment.
RESOURCES
Tracking Higher Ed’s Dismantling of DEI The Chronicle of Higher Education has been tracking what it describes as the “dismantling” of DEI in higher education. The Chronicle obviously views this as an alarming development. The Alumni Free Speech Alliance does not.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Civil Conversations About Hate Crimes and Hoaxes: How UVA Can be an Intellectual Diversity Leader
The Jefferson Council looks forward to having Wilfred Reilly on Grounds this Dec. 5 for “Civil Conversations About Hate Crimes and Hoaxes: How UVA Can be an Intellectual Diversity Leader.” Reilly is a distinguished author, speaker, and advocate for true intellectual diversity on US college campuses, including at Kentucky State, where he serves as associate professor of political science. We look forward to hearing his insights on the compelling need for a return to civil discourse, followed by a time of Q&A from UVA students, faculty, administration, and TJC members. The event will be co-hosted in partnership with Young Americans for Freedom. Find more details and registration information here.
Firing Line Debate: Is Merit a Valid Measure?
On December 3, the Buckley Institute is hosting a Firing Line debate on merit in hiring and college admissions with Yale Professor Daniel Markovits and the Center for Equal Opportunity's Devon Westhill. Get more details and register here.