University of Michigan eliminates DEI statements as part of faculty hiring, promotion

(CBS DETROIT) Diversity statements will no longer be requested by the University of Michigan throughout the recruiting process, promotion, or tenure considerations.

Laurie McCauley, the provost of the university, made the announcement Thursday after an eight-member faculty working group recommended it.

At the university, diversity, equity, and inclusion are three of our guiding principles. In the University Record, which is the faculty and staff magazine of the school, McCauley stated, “Our combined efforts in this area have produced important strides in opening opportunities for all people.” “We will keep improving our strategy as we pursue this difficult and intricate task.

“I’m grateful for this faculty committee, which spent months soliciting feedback from across campus, evaluating our methods and determining the best course forward.”

McCauley assigned the group in June to investigate the usage of diversity statements in Michigan and other academic institutions’ faculty hiring and promotion processes and to provide a recommendation based on their findings.

The institution claims that the panel questioned close to 2,000 faculty members, examined public reports, and took into account the rules of other colleges.

According to the university, a small majority of faculty members disagreed that diversity statements “allow an institution to demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion by cultivating DEI” among faculty members, while the majority of faculty members surveyed said that diversity statements “put pressure on faculty to express specific positions on moral, political, or social issues.”

“Critics of diversity statements perceive them as expressions of personal identity traits, support of specific ideology or opinions on socially-relevant issues, and serve as a ‘litmus test’ of whether a faculty member’s views are politically acceptable,” the study team reported. “Thus, as currently enacted, diversity statements have the potential to limit viewpoints and reduce diversity of thought among faculty members.”

Diversity statements can be helpful when evaluating whether faculty members or job applicants can support the school’s mission, according to the work group.

The institution did not follow the eight-member group’s suggestions to include DEI-related information in teaching, research, and service statements, as well as training on how to create and assess such content.

After contacting McCauley’s office for comment, CBS News Detroit is awaiting a response.

Joe Buczek works for CBS Detroit as the manager of digital content and promotion. The Leader and the Kalkaskian, the Oakland Press, the Morning Sun, the Grand Traverse Insider, and WWTV were among his prior employers.

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