Weber State U. in Utah Removes DEI Language From Mission Statement

Weber State U. in Utah Removes DEI Language From Mission Statement

This happened because of changes in state law. DEI policies are dropping like flies all over the place.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports:

Utah university removes ‘equity’ and ‘inclusion’ from mission statement because of anti-DEI law

Weber State University has stripped the words “inclusion” and “equity” from its official mission statement to comply with the state’s anti-diversity law aimed at higher education.

That gives the Ogden school the distinction as being the first in the state to eliminate those now-banned words from its guiding vision — one of the most fundamental changes to come under the far-reaching measure. Already, the school has been among the most stringent in following the measure, going even further in some instances than required.

The latest change was granted final approval Thursday by the Utah Board of Higher Education, which oversees the eight traditional public colleges and universities in the state.

“I feel like our campus community feels good about our revisions,” Weber State President Brad Mortensen told The Salt Lake Tribune. “There are some folks who still want to use the prohibited words, but that’s not an option.”

Previously, Weber’s mission statement was two sentences that promised to provide “transformative educational experiences for students of all identities and backgrounds through meaningful personal connections with faculty and staff in and out of the classroom.”

“The university promotes student achievement, equity and inclusion,” it continued, “and vibrant community relationships through multiple credentials and degree pathways, experiential learning, research, civic engagement, and stewardship.”

Now, it’s abbreviated: “We transform lives and communities by educating students of all identities and backgrounds. We nurture student success through a supportive environment, individualized pathways, meaningful personal connections with faculty and staff, experiential learning and teaching, research, and civic engagement.”

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