Summarised by Centrist
Florida University’s Chief Diversity Officer has turned out to be the first up against the wall as the anti-DEI revolution comes, but they won’t be the last as the fightback against DEI employment grows.
The University of Florida Provost, J. Scott Angle, announced the closure of the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, the elimination of DEI positions and administrative appointments, and the cessation of contracts with DEI-focused external vendors.
Affected employees will be compensated with twelve weeks of standard pay. Funds previously dedicated to DEI initiatives, amounting to approximately USD $5M (NZD $8.2M), will now be redirected into a faculty recruitment fund.
In January of this year, the Board of Governors voted to prohibit state funding for DEI programs in all public universities.
Legislation signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in May 2023 explicitly bans the use of state or federal funds for promoting or supporting DEI programs and activities, which advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion or engage in political or social activism within state universities and colleges.
Florida joins a growing list of states that have introduced or enacted legislation aimed at restricting or completely abolishing DEI programs in higher education institutions.
Image: Jackson Myers
