Credit: Alyssa Ao

What you need to know:
On Friday, March 1, the University of Florida (UF) released a memo that they had terminated all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) employees. In the statement, UF explained that the decision was in accordance with Governor Ron DeSantis’ regulation on the use of DEI.

The decision to fire all DEI employees led some students to protest at UF with an open letter that was signed by students. Although the termination was immediate, the DEI employees will receive 12 weeks of pay and UF said that the employees are welcome to apply for different positions at the school. The final decision came down to the Board of Trustees at UF, and ultimately the conclusion was made to end DEI at the school. The reasoning of the decision was to follow suit of the state and align with the state legislature regarding DEI.

Why it matters:
UF’s decision might influence other colleges to fire their DEI employees as well. Some students argue that the presence of DEI employees help them by promoting acceptance and inclusion. They fear that the loss of DEI employees will impact the environment of these colleges by making it more difficult to create diverse workspaces. There are many reported cons of lack of diversity, including restricted viewpoints, communication issues, and limited viewpoints.

There is a noticeable uptick in policies that discriminate against different groups of people based on sexual orientation, race and gender. As colleges start to notice these new rules, some people wonder if more colleges will follow a similar trajectory as UF.

What are other sources to look at?
“University of Florida Eliminates All D.E.I.-Related Positions” – New York Times

“University of Florida terminating all diversity, equity and inclusion positions” – The Guardian

“University Of Florida Eliminates Its Diversity Office And Cuts DEI Positions” – Forbes