University of Alaska Fairbanks campus on Oct. 10, 2024. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
The University of Alaska Board of Regents voted to comply with recent executive orders by President Donald Trump, including removing the words “diversity,” “equity,” “inclusion,” “DEI” and “affirmative action” from university websites, publications, job titles and office names.
“We don’t think there’s anything wrong with saying that everyone at the university, faculty, staff, students, has equal opportunity, and is free from discrimination,” said Board Chair Ralph Seekins in a phone interview on Wednesday explaining the action.
The board of regents voted 9 to 1 to approve the motion on Feb. 21. It directs all university programs and operations to comply with federal “nondiscrimination” laws and orders. The language includes a section directing university leaders to make changes that “the System and Universities’ position titles and office titles no longer refer to ‘affirmative action,’ ‘DEI’ nor utilize the words ‘diversity,’ ‘equity,’ ‘inclusion,’ or other associated terms.” The motion also commits to “equal opportunity and equal access for everyone,” and “maintaining a welcoming environment and honoring Alaska Native heritage and cultures.”
Seekins said that the Board took into account the “football field” of federal actions, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling ending affirmative action in university admissions, Trump’s executive order terminating “DEI” initiatives in the executive branch, and a recent communication, known as the “Dear Colleague letter,” from the U.S. Department of Education, which threatens institutions failing to comply with federal orders with potential federal funding loss.
“What do we do to make sure that we don’t fall into a trap where it threatens the families that work here in our federal contracting system?” Seekins said, citing the almost 20% of university funding coming from federal sources. “The effect on the families if we don’t comply with some of this, could be horrendous.”
But Seekins defended the action to remove “DEI” language as committing to “equal opportunity” for everyone. “If it gives preference to someone, then it’s discriminating against someone else,” he said.
The board voted the same day a federal district court judge in Maryland blocked parts of the executive orders on “DEI,” calling them “textbook viewpoint discrimination.”
Seekins questioned whether the board should base its decision on a short-term ruling by one judge. He defended the action, regardless of the legal debate.
“We still think it’s not the wrong thing to say, ‘No matter what, we need to have to give equal opportunity and protection from discrimination to everyone in our community,’” Seekins said.
Student Regent Albiona Selimi, an undergraduate political science student at the University of Alaska Anchorage, was the sole no vote. She answered questions by email Tuesday, writing that she was speaking as a student and not necessarily as a regent.
“DEI programs and language are not about discrimination or preferential treatment, they are about breaking down barriers that have historically hindered marginalized people from seeking higher education,” Selimi said. “My decision was also shaped by the knowledge that the federal directives were confusing and non-legally binding or persuasive, as well as the lack of timely community input.”
Selimi said the decision will send a message to the university community that will make marginalized students feel not only isolated but targeted.
“I worry that this decision will erode trust in the UA community,” she said. “Removing DEI language doesn’t change the fact that systemic inequities still exist. It does change our community’s ability and confidence to discuss these topics openly. I’m completing a minor in Women’s Studies, and this decision has me worried for our program’s ability to continue without censorship of key topics.”
Outrage and concern at the regents’ vote quickly spread across social media Friday, as students, faculty and lawmakers reacted to the news.
“We were stunned and dismayed,” said Jill Dumesnil, professor of mathematics at the University of Alaska Southeast and president of the largest faculty union, United Academics. “This is having a chilling effect on both academic freedom and freedom of speech.”
Dumesnil said the vague language, and prohibiting “any associated terms” leaves faculty and curricula in limbo, mid-semester. “Already, faculty members with ‘DEI’ in their course titles and course descriptions have been directed to revise the titles and descriptions, to remove specific mention of ‘DEI’ and this administrative incursion into curriculum is an infringement on academic freedom. And it’s only one example of the consequences of this board motion.”
She said university communications following the motion, defending an “inclusive, nondiscriminatory” environment seems like “doublespeak.”
“They are using the word ‘inclusive,’ but they want ‘inclusion’ scrubbed from our language,” she said, and emphasized that erasing reference to “DEI” fundamentally excludes historically marginalized groups.
“Telling people they’re welcome to come, but then having an environment that demands that they conform in order to be there is not a welcoming environment,” she said of the language restrictions. “You can’t make it welcoming, just by saying it is.”
Dumesnil said the union is organizing an official response. “Because clearly the next step is going to be climate change,” she said. “The University of Alaska does an enormous amount of research on climate change, and so after the diversity, equity and inclusion scrubbing, I predict that climate change is going to be next.”
In a Feb. 24 letter, university President Pat Pitney urged the university community to work with campus administrations as they conduct the compliance review process. She declined an interview, but university spokesperson Jonathon Taylor responded by email Tuesday that they are still evaluating the potential impact to programs.
“Since the federal situation is moving very quickly we don’t yet know when these reviews will be completed, though UA leadership and the chancellors are actively working to determine that timing,” Taylor said. “We don’t believe any of our programs or other activities related to Alaska Native or Indigenous people will be impacted. In the coming days and weeks, the president and chancellors will work closely with their internal teams to ensure the process for implementing the Board’s direction is clear.”
Dumesnil and others, like Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, criticized the Board’s process, introducing the motion without it being listed on the agenda or taking public comment.
“The Alaska Constitution requires public process, and the board sprung this in the dark,” Kiehl said Wednesday. He added that the regents “didn’t appear to have any substantive debate and and I don’t know why they think that the Constitution doesn’t apply to the University of Alaska and why the public has nothing to say about what they’re up to.”
He said the university has a long history of successful programs supporting traditionally underrepresented groups, such as rural nursing programs, Alaska Native science and engineering and others. “In Alaska, where we’re worried about federal overreach, what regent can in good conscience, just say, ‘Whatever the feds say is the rule we’ll do,’ no matter how it impacts our students, no matter how it impacts our programs, no matter how it impacts the last economy or future? That’s ludicrous.”
When asked about the process and lack of public comment, Seekins defended the board’s actions. “We very seldom take public comments on matters of critical interest that have to be done in a short period of time,” he said. “But what do you think, public interest would have come out against equal opportunity and no discrimination toward anyone?”
Matt Calhoun, executive director of the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program, responded by email Tuesday that the award-winning academic program supporting largely Alaska Native and rural students would continue.
“ANSEP was founded on and continues to operate on values learned from Alaska Native culture, but DEI factors are not at play when conducting student outreach or selecting participants,” he said. “The program is committed to providing educational opportunities for all Alaskans from all communities and all backgrounds, and the language on our website reflects that. Any changes to language on our website or marketing materials are made to share the openness of our program to all Alaskans.”
But the program had already changed language on the website, scrubbing reference to “Alaska Native,” prior to the vote and directive from Regents, Alaska Public Media reported. Calhoun did not respond to requests for comment on the change.
Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, said in a majority caucus news conference on Tuesday that he was sympathetic to the board’s “tough position” fearing federal funding cuts, but was disappointed. “I’m worried about our students,” he said. “I have to say, I’m really proud of the student rep who voted no. I think that might have been where I would have voted, but I do understand that the university has to continue.”
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