Boise State shuts down DEI offices, preempting expected measure from Idaho state gov
The school shut down its Student Equity Center and the Gender Equity Center over Thanksgiving.
The decision came ahead of an anti-DEI measure that could be enacted by the Idaho State Board of Education.
Boise State University has recently shuttered two centers dedicated to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
School officials made the announcement to the community on Tuesday, revealing that the university shut down the Student Equity Center and the Gender Equity Center while students were out for Thanksgiving, as reported by KTVB 7.
The email announcement, acquired by KTVB 7, stated: “We want to acknowledge that the staff members who have worked in these centers over the last few decades have impacted the lives of thousands of students.”
“We all have heard the conversations taking place this year across the nation related to diversity, equity and inclusion and higher education,” the email obtained by KTVB 7 stated. “The Idaho State Board of Education has developed resolutions for Idaho universities, and we have provided feedback. We remain steadfast in our commitment to serving all students while seeking to be responsive to our governing board’s expectations.”
Boise State University’s decision comes after the Idaho State Board of Education began considering an anti-DEI resolution in November.
That measure would stop the state’s public institutions of higher education from showing preferential treatment to certain students on the basis of DEI principles, shut down DEI offices in these schools, and stop state colleges and universities from forcing members of the community to “declare gender identity or preferred pronouns.”
[RELATED: Penn State hosting Chief Diversity Officer for fall semester commencement speech]
DEI has been coming under increasing criticism in colleges and universities, with critics claiming that DEI programs are costly and only serve to promote division, bitterness, and anger instead of academic excellence.
Recently, the University of Michigan revealed it would “no longer solicit diversity statements as part of faculty hiring, promotion and tenure.”
Campus Reform has reached out to Boise State University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
