Over the last 8 to 10 months, campuses have been under the assault of right-wing and white supremacist ideology and groups. Both the judicial and legislative branches are encroaching on the autonomy and professional judgment of campuses by expropriating administrative policies and practices (e.g., challenges to race conscious admissions policy, abolishing diversity, equity, and inclusion [DEI] offices) and curricular decisions (e.g., critical race theory and “divisive concepts” bans).
These attacks are carefully outlined by Michael Bérubé in his article included in this issue and which he characterizes as a more systemic assault than all prior conservative clashes with higher education in the last 40 years. He calls on leaders to realize that these attacks erode the basic fabric and value system of higher education around ideas such as academic freedom and justice. In this provocation, we join him in calling on leaders to refuse complicity; we focus specifically on efforts to undermine DEI.
These larger political and social trends were the focus of many of the sessions at the January 2023 American Association of College and Universities’ (AAC&U) Annual Conference, with a call for leaders to understand that there can be no liberal arts without a liberal society. One session highlighted how the Leadership Institute and Turning Point are well-funded and organized right-wing entities that campus leaders need to better understand and navigate if they do not wish their campuses to be enveloped by these forces.
Most higher education leaders “appear” to be caught off guard, and yet, historically, with any racial progress comes a whitelash. Certainly the chief diversity officers (CDOs) we have spoken with expected that there would be a counterattack. But many leaders in higher education—both in the national associations (the exception being AAC&U) as well as on individual campuses—seem to be surprised by the recent attacks on campuses, and almost no one has spoken up against the various measures. A deafening silence has prevailed.
There has been a marked silence among campus leaders questioning the validity of critical race theory bans, the requests for DEI budgets and lists of programs, and directives from politically commandeered governing boards to halt mandated diversity training. There has been almost no collective action—no groups of leaders questioning these activities or supporting campuses and state systems that are under attack. A few foundations and philanthropies are organizing conversations, convenings, and important strategizing sessions. Unfortunately, most of this is happening quietly—out of view—so it appears that there is no resistance to the onslaught, which makes CDOs feel isolated. What is important for leaders to realize is that their silence is not keeping them safe or protecting them from being caught up in the DEI attacks. Their silence is complicity in the whitelash and racism.
We are deeply worried about DEI staff and leaders on campus. They are vulnerable and unprotected. There is an increasing turnover of CDOs, with many experiencing burnout from the continued attacks and minimal support. Few campuses have rallied around them. The national organization that supports chief diversity officers—National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE)—has seen little support from stakeholders in higher education. Their annual conference in April 2023 focused on continuing to advance equity and racial justice in spite of the larger forces. As they note, “While political and societal pressures threaten to hamper the progress of diversity officers and others committed to leading with equity, it is critically urgent for practitioners and academics alike to continue in their resolve to dismantle systemic barriers so that more students, faculty, and staff can find success in higher education and beyond.” If CDOs can continue working to increase equity even while under attack, it is our responsibility to support them and join in this fight.
We call on leaders across higher education—on campuses and within national associations—to call out these political attacks for the nonsense that they are, to stand in solidarity with DEI staff, and to take actions that support DEI staff, in spite of the very real potential political fallout. Paulette Granberry Russell from NADOHE is calling us to stand with them:
As an organization, we are beginning to connect with national partners in an attempt to build support that will work to defeat these measures. We are reaching out to journalists across the country to let them know how valuable our efforts are within the campus communities we work. We’re also considering a grassroots campaign that allows our allies and friends to show their support for diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education and beyond.
It is true that political officials can come after our budgets and defund higher education, but if we stand together, we can organize and combat the current attacks. We need to help the public better understand why we believe in DEI. We can use arguments offered by NADOE (https://www.nadohe.org/), the American Council on Education (https://www.acenet.edu/Research-Insights/Pages/Diversity-Inclusion/Equity-Minded-Leadership.aspx), AAC&U (https://www.aacu.org/initiatives/truth-racial-healing-transformation-campus-centers), the Association of Governing Boards (https://agb.org/knowledge-center/board-fundamentals/justice-diversity-equity-inclusion/), the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (https://www.chea.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-statement), the National Education Association (https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/who-behind-attacks-educators-and-public-schools), Association of College and University Educators (https://medium.com/@jonathangyurko/identity-democracy-and-college-teaching-67ca95509100) and others. We need to stop being flat footed and begin organizing and working together to support a liberal society where higher education can flourish.
Executive Editor KC Culver,
Associate Editor