Texas Public Policy Foundation CEO, Greg Sindelar, argued against universities requiring employee Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) statements and valuing faculty candidates by their race and sex over their ability and work experience in a Nov. 8 Washington Times article.
"U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas got it right last week when the court heard arguments about affirmative action," Sindelar wrote. “'I’ve heard the word diversity quite a few times and I don’t have a clue what it means,' said Justice Thomas during oral arguments. 'It seems to mean everything for everyone.'”
What does 'diversity' mean to Texas colleges and universities when it comes to hiring faculty? Sindelar asked.
“Certainly not a diversity of viewpoints; The hiring process is now seemingly designed to eliminate job candidates who value ability and experience, for example, over immutable characteristics such as race and sex," Sindelar stated.
According to Sindelar, Texas public universities such as the University of North Texas have committed to DEI requirements for hiring faculty and staff. A job listing for a UNT "Continuing Lecturer in English" position requires candidates submit "a diversity statement that describes how you incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion into your teaching practices, and how you would contribute to the development of a diverse and inclusive learning community at UNT through teaching and service."
Sindelar believes that candidates lacking an appropriate DEI background or strategy would be disqualified from the hiring process.
"The Texas Legislature has a role to play here," Sindelar wrote. "Lawmakers can simply prohibit the use of DEI statements in public college and university hiring practices. (The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board could likely do the same thing, but a quick look at THECB’s website shows the agency is steeped in the ideology.)"
"There’s nothing wrong with having a diverse workforce, and every child should be able to see a successful American citizen—whether that’s a college professor or an entrepreneur or a skilled craftsman—who looks like them,” Sindelar stated. “But that’s not what DEI requirements work toward. Instead, DEI requirements serve to weed out those who reject the rampant race essentialism that has taken over college campuses.
“Another Bush-era saying applies here—character counts," Sindelar wrote. "Filling our colleges and universities with the best and most engaging teachers, regardless of their ethnicity or political beliefs, is what will make Texas higher education the best in the world."