U of Mich. DEI investment sees Black enrollment down, harassment up: NYT

[Karah Rucker]

THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN’S D-E-I EXPERIMENT.

A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROMOTE INCLUSION ON CAMPUS HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE CREATING DIVISION AND CONFLICT –

ACCORDING TO A NEW YORK TIMES INVESTIGATION.

THE UNIVERSITY HAS POURED MORE THAN 250 MILLION DOLLARS INTO THE INITIATIVE IN RECENT YEARS.

THE TIMES FOUND BLACK ENROLLMENT IS STAGNATING AT JUST 5 PERCENT –

AND COMPLAINTS OF HARASSMENT HAVE SKYROCKETED.

THIS IS RAISING QUESTIONS OVER THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION DIVISION.

DESPITE THE SCHOOL’S INVESTMENT –

ENROLLMENT OF BLACK STUDENTS REMAINS LOW COMPARED TO THE 14% OF BLACK RESIDENTS IN MICHIGAN.

THE UNIVERSITY’S DEI OFFICE RECEIVED MORE THAN 500 COMPLAINTS LAST YEAR –

RELATED TO RACE, GENDER, AND SEXUAL MISCONDUCT.

FOR COMPARISON – IN 2015 – THE SCHOOL HAD 200 COMPLAINTS.

CAMPUS SURVEYS SHOW STUDENTS AND FACULTY REPORT FEELING **LESS INCLUDED –

AND THE TIMES FOUND STUDENTS WERE LESS LIKELY TO ENGAGE WITH PEERS FROM DIFFERENT RACIAL, RELIGIOUS, OR POLITICAL BACKGROUNDS.

SOME INSTITUTIONS LIKE M-I-T AND HARVARD HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO REASSESS THEIR DEI POLICIES –

SUCH AS REMOVING REQUIREMENTS FOR DIVERSITY STATEMENTS FROM NEW HIRES.

BUT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN REMAINS COMMITTED TO DEI PRACTICES –

INCLUDING DEI STATEMENTS FROM STAFF.

ACCORDING TO THE TIMES – 

THE DEI INITIATIVE FACED ITS MOST SIGNIFICANT TEST FOLLOWING THE OCTOBER 7TH ATTACK BY HAMAS IN ISRAEL.

THE PROTESTS THAT ERUPTED ON CAMPUS LED TO AN INCREASE IN HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINTS.

A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT MICHIGAN INADEQUATELY ADDRESSED THE COMPLAINTS – PARTICULARLY THOSE INVOLVING ALLEGATIONS OF ANTISEMITISM.