Last week, the Board of Governors of the Florida University System banned funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the state’s colleges and universities. At the same time, they removed sociology from the state's core curriculum.
The decision, which codified a recommendation made in November by an advisory committee to the board, has stoked widespread criticism.
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Patricia Gleich, who teaches sociology at the University of West Florida, said she thought the decision highlighted a widespread misconception about DEI initiatives.
“Oftentimes, when people think about DEI initiatives, they think about them from the perspective of how they are helpful to particular populations, maybe people of color, maybe LGBTQ plus people,” she said, “... (but) programs that benefit those groups benefit all students.”
Gleich said sociology courses, like DEI initiatives, helped prepare students to succeed in an increasingly diverse workforce.
“The more we can have diverse students in our environment, in our classrooms, on our campuses, the more we are creating a situation that is similar to what our students are going to face after they graduate,” she said.
Supporters of the board’s decision to remove sociology from the state’s curriculum have argued that students who wish to take the course will still be able to do so. It simply will not be required. However, Gleich said the situation wasn’t that simple.
Many UWF students rely on federal Pell grants to pay for their education, she noted, and these grants will only pay for courses that are required for a major. Since sociology will no longer be an approved elective for many degree programs, these students will have more barriers to taking the class.
Responding to Gov. Ron DeSantis's remarks that DEI stands for "discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination," Gleich said she could only speak to her own classroom approach.
“We learn about differences in a way that shows that we are all valuable,” she said, “and we learn about differences in a way that does not inculcate guilt, but puts the students on … a level playing field in terms of their value and their worth.”
The professor also touched upon the broader impacts on academic freedom and expression, noting the careful balance educators must maintain to avoid perceived bias while fostering open discussion.
“I know that I have been careful to be sure that I don't inadvertently create an impression of bias,” she said, adding that she worked hard to create an environment where all students feel safe.
“It's okay to disagree,” she said. “It's okay to have a different idea, to have a different opinion. What I try to convey to my students is that doesn't mean the person who disagrees with us on something becomes our enemy … To be able to practice disagreeing and not devalue the person with whom we're disagreeing is part of a skill set that we need to be sure that students who leave UWF have. And it can be done within the context of a sociology course.”