Another “quick takes” on items where there is too little to say to make a complete article, but is still important enough to comment on.
The focus this time: Overtly, at least, it’s on the wane (for now).
First, a little mood music:
Carrying on…
DEI, at least by name, isn’t so popular in Idaho.
“Idaho could soon see Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives gone from its public institutions of higher education.
“The Idaho State Board of Education began discussing a resolution on Thursday to end DEI in higher education across the state, reported The Spokesman-Review.
“The resolution would require Idaho’s state colleges and universities to ‘establish and maintain equality of opportunity for all students regardless of personal identity characteristics,’ ‘ensure that no central offices, policies, procedures, or initiatives are dedicated to DEI activities,’ ‘ensure student success centers are dedicated to all students,’ and ‘ensure that no employee or student is required to declare gender identity or preferred pronouns,’ as seen from a copy of the resolution provided by KTVB 7.
“The Board of Education members will now consider what potential steps to take regarding the resolution’s measures.”
No more “Trans Buddy Program” at Vanderbilt.
“The Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Health recently laid off five staff members and eliminated its ‘Trans Buddy Program’ following $300 million in budget cuts at the school’s medical center.
“‘The Vanderbilt University Medical Center Program for LGBTQ Health is an innovative effort to improve healthcare for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) adults,’ according to its website.
“The five staff members who lost their jobs included the director, assistant director, and the coordinator of the ‘Trans Buddy Program,’ according to The Vanderbilt Hustler.
“‘The Trans Buddy Program paired transgender patients with a support volunteer who could provide emotional, informational and procedural support during healthcare encounters, free of charge,’ the outlet reported.”
Multiculturalism is on the outs in Wyoming.
“As efforts to curb Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are picking up steam across the country, educators in one western state are being required to follow suit.
“The University of Wyoming (UW) recently announced its intent to eliminate and replace its Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) in the wake of state-level legislation forcing it to do so. The new office, the Pokes Center for Community Resources, ‘will serve as a conduit for education and material support in areas such as food and housing security, family support, employment and general living skills,’ according to UW President Ed Seidel.
“According to the center’s website, the university created it in order to ‘provide a centralized location where students and their families can learn about institutional and community resources pertaining to basic life skills, resources and skills development.’
“In contrast, OMA’s mission statement, prior to being taken down, centered around ‘advocat[ing] alongside historically and presently marginalized students to develop a holistic sense of self and belonging through community building and identity affirming intersectional programming.’”
TTFN.
