The University of Michigan (UM) has announced it will no longer mandate diversity statements for faculty hiring, promotion, and tenure.
Provost Laurie McCauley revealed the decision on Thursday, following a recommendation from an eight-member faculty working group. The group advised discontinuing the mandate, citing concerns over its “potential to limit freedom of expression and diversity of thought on campus.”
“Diversity, equity and inclusion are three of our core values at the university. Our collective efforts in this area have produced important strides in opening opportunities for all people,” McCauley said in a press release. “As we pursue this challenging and complex work, we will continuously refine our approach.”
McCauley also said she was “grateful” for the feedback from the group that made the recommendation.
This decision aligns with ongoing scrutiny of the university’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Sarah Hubbard, a member of UM’s Board of Regents, noted last week that the university’s board had already been reevaluating its DEI efforts and expenditures.
“We’re not really seeing the needle moving related to diversity of thought, in particular, on campus, let alone diversity in other ways. I have been asking a lot of questions since I was first elected to this board,” Hubbard told Fox News.
According to a recent New York Times report, UM has spent at least $250 million on DEI initiatives since 2016, with 56 percent allocated to salaries and benefits for DEI staff across its three campuses
Despite these investments, criticisms have persisted. An earlier New York Times report from October revealed that many black students at the university view DEI initiatives as ineffective.
