NADOHE created this page to share information and resources that diversity officers and practitioners will find useful as they navigate the many legislative attacks spreading across the country. These calculated efforts to dismantle equity, diversity, and inclusion work mean we must help each other understand the changing laws and share ideas on how to advance inclusive excellence in spite of the new barriers.
NADOHE seeks to advocate with and for its more than 2,000 members who are committed to inclusive excellence, advancing equity, and dismantling systemic oppression. The resources included below will support NADOHE members as they navigate the changing legal landscape.
NADOHE Communication Guide
As the preeminent voice for senior diversity officers, we are pleased to provide you with the NADOHE Communication Guide. This guide is intended to be a valuable tool for Senior Diversity Officers, Academic Diversity Officers, institutional leaders, diversity professionals and others in and outside higher education in responding to the challenges to college and university diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging efforts.
NADOHE Chapters
NADOHE members have an opportunity to join chapters based on their area of interest and/or their geographic region. All 19 chapters operate with one common goal in mind: moving higher education toward inclusive excellence everywhere. Chapters serve as a conduit from the national association to the chapter members for information, programs, and other resources that may be especially helpful in the current climate. Area of interest chapters include:
- Senior Diversity Officers in Catholic Higher Education Chapter
- Health Professions Chapter
- Legal Professions Chapter
Resources on Race in Admissions
Following the Supreme Court ruling against race-conscious admissions practices on June 29, NADOHE provided insightful information and resources to help you and your institutions respond. The Association also hosted webinars both before and after the decision to help analyze the opinion and chart the way forward for DEI professionals and institutions.
The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice also released resources to assist colleges and universities in complying with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on the use of race in higher education admissions, including a "Dear Colleague" letter and a Q&A page.
Guidance on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ban in Texas
In June, SB 17 banned diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at public colleges in Texas. This month, the Texas A&M University System offered guidance to employees on navigating the state’s ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public colleges. An online FAQ addresses faculty and staff questions on several topics of concern, including hiring, student programming and scholarly work.
PEN America Censored Classrooms Report
America’s Censored Classrooms 2024: Refining the Art of Censorship is PEN America’s latest annual report on state-level educational censorship laws aimed at colleges and universities. The report outlines a growing and sophisticated campaign to restrict academic freedom and campus free expression in the United States.
The report warns that legislative efforts to curtail educational speech have evolved from overt gag orders banning controversial topics into new stealth tactics that threaten higher education across the nation. These new tactics obscure their intent to impose devastating new restrictions on higher ed by identifying them with popular causes such as “institutional neutrality” or “viewpoint diversity.”
The report also includes data visualizations, descriptions of new laws, and an updated index of educational censorship legislation.
PEN America Free Speech Guide
The PEN America Campus Free Speech Guide offers practical, principled advice on free speech and inclusion on U.S. college campuses. The Guide contains advice for responding to speech-related controversies as well as guidance for proactive steps to avert such controversies and promote free speech and inclusion.
PEN America Educational Censorship Tracker
As PEN America works to defend students and teachers against legislative infringements on free expression in the classroom, they track bills in their Index of Educational Gag Orders.
USC Race and Equity Center Report
This report examines the far-reaching implications of Senate Bill 17 (SB 17) on marginalized students in Texas higher education.
Titled Under Siege: Campus Racial Climate in Texas Higher Education Amid Anti-DEI Legislation, the report highlights the significant challenges faced by students of color and LGBTQ+ students at public institutions across the state.
Johnson, R.M., Nuñez, R.A., Kwon, J., & Duran, G. (2024). Under siege: Campus racial climates in Texas amid anti-DEI legislation. Los Angeles, CA: University of Southern California, USC Race and Equity Center
Additional Resources
- Countering Political Attacks on DEI: Resources for Student Affairs Professionals from NASPA
- Campus Compact
- DEI Legislation Tracker
- Opinion: Diversity, equity and inclusion are not dirty words. Why are they being treated as such in higher education?, George R. Boggs
- National Center on Free Speech
- Navigating Legislative Challenges: The Community College President’s Role in Supporting DEI National Webinar with AACC
- Truths About DEI on College Campuses: Evidence-Based Expert Responses to Politicized Misinformation
- The Education Trust Map of Anti-DEI Efforts on College Campuses Across the U.S.
Research
A growing body of research is helping us better understand the impacts of diversity, equity, and inclusion dismantling efforts and can allow us to make research-informed decisions on how to move forward.
- The Anti-”Critical Race Theory” Campaign – Classroom Censorship and Racial Backlash by Another Name, Leah M. Watson.
- A scoping review protocol of anti-racism programs and practices in higher education: Implications for developing interventions to advance equity, Tiffany D. Baffour, Mariah Cowell Mercier, Lorelei Rutledge, Alfred Mowdood, Mary McFarland.