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U Florida terminates DEI positions

Started by Langue_doc, March 02, 2024, 06:42:06 AM

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MarathonRunner

Quote from: dismalist on March 09, 2024, 09:57:45 AM
Quote from: ciao_yall on March 09, 2024, 08:11:35 AM
Quote from: MarathonRunner on March 08, 2024, 04:40:53 PM
Quote from: dismalist on March 08, 2024, 03:06:31 PM
Quote from: jimbogumbo on March 08, 2024, 11:25:58 AMClearly not new: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upward_Bound

Interesting. I hadn't heard of these programs to support some high school students.

What is notable is that nowhere is race mentioned. Support is conditioned mainly on income. First generation college potential status is also supported. [That's the sop to the educational establishment -- us.]

If support were based solely on income, the racial mix of those supported by any program would not be changed much and nobody would have anything against such programs. So it has nothing to do with DEI.

Umm, it has everything to do with EDI. EDI isn't just about race, it's about providing opportunities to communities that have been traditionally marginalized or underserved or underrepresented. That includes race, but also socioeconomic status, ability/ disability, Indegeneity, etc.

Although race and income are highly correlated.

Absolutely. Indigeneity would be correlated like race. "Socioeconomic status" and income must be near perfectly correlated. Same with disability.

QuoteI have seen Upward Bound students for decades, and at least in the Midwest they have been overwhelmingly students of color.

Which is exactly what one would expect using income as a selection criterion.


So what about a student who is disabled, but comes from a high-income or professional family? In that case, disability is not correlated with income. And even high-income First Nations and Black individuals in Canada experience far more racism than their white peers.

jimbogumbo

TRIO is directly focused on DEI. Diversity based on class, Equity based on class, and Inclusion based on class. It does not address the needs of all such groups, notably those of rural youth.
Saying it isn't a DEI program is simply ridiculous. Believing that indicates, to me, a very narrow view of DEI, and is why it's so disheartening to see DEI become the whipping post of the right wing.

marshwiggle

Quote from: MarathonRunner on March 09, 2024, 11:43:44 AM
Quote from: dismalist on March 09, 2024, 09:57:45 AM
QuoteI have seen Upward Bound students for decades, and at least in the Midwest they have been overwhelmingly students of color.

Which is exactly what one would expect using income as a selection criterion.


So what about a student who is disabled, but comes from a high-income or professional family? In that case, disability is not correlated with income. And even high-income First Nations and Black individuals in Canada experience far more racism than their white peers.

"Peer" is the operative word here. High income kids, of any ethnic background, will have more in common with each other than with the very poor members of their own ethnic background. The kids from high income families will have lots of support no matter what, while the low income kids will struggle.

The disabled student from a wealthy family will face obstacles, but the family's wealth will open doors and smooth the road whether there is anything like "DEI" or not. The poor kids with no advocacy are much more likely to fall through the cracks, regardless of their ethnic background.

It takes so little to be above average.

Hegemony

Quote from: marshwiggle on March 09, 2024, 12:54:52 PMHigh income kids, of any ethnic background, will have more in common with each other than with the very poor members of their own ethnic background.

The black high-income kids will have an important part of their experience that the white high-income kids will not share — and that's that coming from an affluent family does not insulate a black kid from racism. Indeed, as we have seen, it invites particular kinds: black kids driving expensive cars frequently get pulled over by police on suspicion of having stolen the car. You may claim that the affluent black kids have more affinities with their white peers, but I wonder if that's what they would say. I suspect they would add a number of caveats to that assertion. And when they emerge from their expensive schooling, they will still face obstacles that their white peers will not, for instance white academics claiming that racism is a negligible part of the kids' experience.

ciao_yall

Quote from: Hegemony on March 10, 2024, 05:39:42 AM
Quote from: marshwiggle on March 09, 2024, 12:54:52 PMHigh income kids, of any ethnic background, will have more in common with each other than with the very poor members of their own ethnic background.

The black high-income kids will have an important part of their experience that the white high-income kids will not share — and that's that coming from an affluent family does not insulate a black kid from racism. Indeed, as we have seen, it invites particular kinds: black kids driving expensive cars frequently get pulled over by police on suspicion of having stolen the car. You may claim that the affluent black kids have more affinities with their white peers, but I wonder if that's what they would say. I suspect they would add a number of caveats to that assertion. And when they emerge from their expensive schooling, they will still face obstacles that their white peers will not, for instance white academics claiming that racism is a negligible part of the kids' experience.

For my EdD I interviewed one of my Black students. Pretty rough background, spent time in juvenile hall for murder. I taught him at a Community College, then it turned out he was getting his Bachelor's at the same university where I was getting my EdD. So big turnaround.

We had a really great discussion. He shared he felt a bit isolated - his friends were still basically his old crowd he ran with. He didn't have friends at school. I asked him if he had considered joining the Black student clubs and he said "No." Why? "I don't have anything in common with them - they just like to go out and try different kinds of foods." It sounded to me like many of them had come from more middle-class backgrounds and he didn't feel like he could fit in.

He said "Would you join the women's clubs on campus? Just because you are women doesn't mean you have anything in common." I said I saw his point. Still, I said, these people and you are probably dealing with a lot of the same issues. As you get to know them, you'll need to find support in this environment.

He agreed. At the end of the day, there are people who don't see anything but the skin in front of them. Whether they grew up going to the Boys and Girls Club or Jack and Jill, Head Start or Montessori, they just don't see a difference.


marshwiggle

Quote from: ciao_yall on March 10, 2024, 09:45:06 AM
Quote from: Hegemony on March 10, 2024, 05:39:42 AM
Quote from: marshwiggle on March 09, 2024, 12:54:52 PMHigh income kids, of any ethnic background, will have more in common with each other than with the very poor members of their own ethnic background.

The black high-income kids will have an important part of their experience that the white high-income kids will not share — and that's that coming from an affluent family does not insulate a black kid from racism. Indeed, as we have seen, it invites particular kinds: black kids driving expensive cars frequently get pulled over by police on suspicion of having stolen the car. You may claim that the affluent black kids have more affinities with their white peers, but I wonder if that's what they would say. I suspect they would add a number of caveats to that assertion. And when they emerge from their expensive schooling, they will still face obstacles that their white peers will not, for instance white academics claiming that racism is a negligible part of the kids' experience.

For my EdD I interviewed one of my Black students. Pretty rough background, spent time in juvenile hall for murder. I taught him at a Community College, then it turned out he was getting his Bachelor's at the same university where I was getting my EdD. So big turnaround.

We had a really great discussion. He shared he felt a bit isolated - his friends were still basically his old crowd he ran with. He didn't have friends at school. I asked him if he had considered joining the Black student clubs and he said "No." Why? "I don't have anything in common with them - they just like to go out and try different kinds of foods." It sounded to me like many of them had come from more middle-class backgrounds and he didn't feel like he could fit in.

He said "Would you join the women's clubs on campus? Just because you are women doesn't mean you have anything in common." I said I saw his point. Still, I said, these people and you are probably dealing with a lot of the same issues. As you get to know them, you'll need to find support in this environment.

He agreed. At the end of the day, there are people who don't see anything but the skin in front of them. Whether they grew up going to the Boys and Girls Club or Jack and Jill, Head Start or Montessori, they just don't see a difference.



You do realize how this sounds if white students also feel that the only place they will "find support in this environment" is with other white students?

It's one thing to argue that the colour of someone's skin may make some difference in their experience, but arguing that it's basically the most significant factor in their experience suggests that the whole concept of a racially diverse society is a complete waste of time.
It takes so little to be above average.

Wahoo Redux

IHE: Black Scholars Face Anonymous Accusations in Anti-DEI Crusade

Lower Deck:
QuoteSince right-wing firebrand Christopher Rufo helped bring down Harvard's president, at least seven more scholars—most of them Black—have confronted accusations of plagiarism or research misconduct spread by conservative media.
Come, fill the Cup, and in the fire of Spring
Your Winter-garment of Repentance fling:
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To flutter--and the Bird is on the Wing.

marshwiggle

Quote from: Wahoo Redux on April 01, 2024, 05:59:47 AMIHE: Black Scholars Face Anonymous Accusations in Anti-DEI Crusade

Lower Deck:
QuoteSince right-wing firebrand Christopher Rufo helped bring down Harvard's president, at least seven more scholars—most of them Black—have confronted accusations of plagiarism or research misconduct spread by conservative media.

An odd comment:
QuoteObservers such as Isaac Kamola, director of the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom at the American Association of University Professors, see "a coordinated attack" behind it all. He said "it's clear there's a bunch of resources, there's somebody who has a lot of money, plagiarism software," and is fishing for misconduct.

He doesn't seem to be claiming that the software is finding false positives, but rather that there are so many positives they shouldn't be cause for concern.

Plagiarism is so 20th century.
It takes so little to be above average.

Wahoo Redux

Come, fill the Cup, and in the fire of Spring
Your Winter-garment of Repentance fling:
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To flutter--and the Bird is on the Wing.

Wahoo Redux

#39
The Atlantic: The State That's Trying to Rein in DEI Without Becoming Florida

QuoteThe law prohibits universities from giving individuals preferential treatment or discriminating against them based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, or gender identity. It forbids offices that help students from excluding anyone based on their identity. It bans mandatory campus training sessions that promote differential treatment. It prohibits "discriminatory practices," such as ascribing "values, morals, or ethical codes, privileges, or beliefs to an individual" because of their identity.

<snip>

Even so, the law's mandate to disregard race, gender, and other traits, rather than treating people differently based on their identity, is polarizing. Many of its critics believe that education policy must elevate identity to be "equitable"––that the just response to systemic racism, disparities in graduation rates, and the culture of a state that is almost 80 percent white and socially conservative, is targeted initiatives for Black, brown, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ students.

But that position forecloses the possibility of trying new approaches to discover whether they could be better. The DEI framework is often expensive to implement, dogmatic, and thin on evidence that it helps students thrive. Utah's attempt to rein in DEI's excesses while investing in plausible alternatives might just represent the best way forward.

<snip>

Like most Americans, I support many goals associated with DEI, such as admitting students of diverse backgrounds to college, ensuring their equal access to a good education, and eliminating any bigotry they are subject to because of their personal or group identity.

But among people who value diversity, not everyone agrees with the ways DEI advocates attempt to promote and manage it. For example, many DEI supporters urged doing away with the SATs, a move some institutions now regard as a mistake (the test, a good predictor of student success, is less vulnerable to being gamed by affluent applicants than essays or extracurricular activities). And many academic departments require DEI statements from prospective hires, even though some professors see such statements as ideological litmus tests. Put simply, some DEI work advances important goals that most Americans support. Other initiatives take unrigorous, intrusive, or unpopular stances, fueling liberal and conservative backlashes.

There are hyperlinks in the article.
Come, fill the Cup, and in the fire of Spring
Your Winter-garment of Repentance fling:
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To flutter--and the Bird is on the Wing.

Langue_doc

Slightly off topic, but
QuoteBen Sasse Will Step Down as President of University of Florida
The former senator from Nebraska cited the health of his wife, who has been diagnosed with epilepsy.

The first few paragraphs:
QuoteBen Sasse, the president of the University of Florida and a former Republican senator from Nebraska, announced Thursday that he was resigning his position so he could dedicate more time and attention to his ailing wife.

Dr. Sasse, 52, took office in early February 2023. His resignation will be effective July 31. Mori Hosseini, the chair of the university's board of trustees, said in a separate announcement that the board would work quickly to appoint an interim president and would begin the search for a new president.

In a long and heartfelt message on X, Dr. Sasse said that his wife, Melissa, who had an aneurysm and a series of strokes in 2007, was in recent months diagnosed with epilepsy and had been "struggling with a new batch of memory issues."

The article goes on to note:
QuoteDr. Sasse, who has degrees from Harvard, St. John's College and Yale, was a U.S. senator from Nebraska from 2015 to 2023.

Dr. Sasse was appointed president of the University of Florida in November 2022, and he ran the college at a very partisan time. Elected officials in Florida have taken a strong hand in steering curriculums. In May 2023, Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed Senate Bill 266 "to prohibit institutions from spending federal or state dollars on discriminatory initiatives, such as so called 'diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)' programs," according to an official announcement.

The governor's announcement said the bill "takes several steps to prevent woke ideologies from continuing to co-opt our state universities and state colleges." It would prohibit curriculums that were "based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities."

In the Senate, Dr. Sasse was reliably conservative but also a critic of Donald Trump.

In February 2021, Dr. Sasse was one of only seven Republicans in the Senate who voted to convict Mr. Trump on a charge of incitement of insurrection in his second impeachment trial. Mr. Trump was acquitted by the Senate.

A year earlier, Dr. Sasse had joined almost all of the Republican senators in voting to acquit Mr. Trump during his first impeachment trial.

Hibush

The student paper indicates that prior president Kent Fuchs will be interim. I thought he quit because the governor was making the President position untenable. I'll be curious to see what he does (subtly) to make faculty positions more tenable.



marshwiggle

Quote from: Sun_Worshiper on August 08, 2024, 07:48:26 PM
Quote from: jimbogumbo on August 08, 2024, 03:39:32 PMTerminating more than DEI at UF: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/tenure/2024/08/07/big-chunk-professors-flunked-uf-post-tenure-review

This is wild.

For a bit of context:
QuoteAngle combined people who received the two lowest ratings, "unsatisfactory" and "does not meet expectations," which puts professors on a performance improvement plan that can lead to their firing.

The report said that, out of 262 professors up for review, 31 "either retired, entered retirement agreements or resigned during the review period." A further 34 didn't meet expectations and five were dubbed unsatisfactory. Add those categories up, and it's 27 percent.

So only 5 of 262 were basically fired; 34 were put on notice that they'd have to improve. 31 decided to retire or resign.

Those numbers don't sound so odd.

At your institution, are there 2% of tenured faculty who are really bad? I'd guess there are at most places.
Are there 13% who seriously need to improve? Doesn't sound to strange to me.

And I'm just thinking about teaching; combining research and teaching, those proportions of people who aren't hitting their mark seems unsurprising.
It takes so little to be above average.