Numerous state legislatures are in the news recently, asking their campuses to report budgets and resources devoted to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, and for a list of the programs, services and efforts focused on DEI.
Their goal? To identify and cut DEI in higher education.
Florida has become the poster child for the state leading this conservative backlash against DEI, but several other state legislatures including Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, Idaho and Iowa are joining in. Model state legislation has been written — and if passed, would prohibit colleges from hiring DEI officers, spending money on DEI, and bar trainings that instruct staff/faculty to identify and fight against systemic racism.
Because DEI has largely not been institutionalized in most campuses — these efforts to “cut” DEI are likely to be successful. The cuts can be executed quite easily as DEI efforts are isolated and siloed — beyond the mainstream work of campus. 
Dr. Adrianna Kezar
