'We won’t be erased': Academics defend Black studies amid program cuts
- The University of Texas at Austin consolidated the Black Studies department into a single social and cultural analysis unit this year, affecting Mexican American and Gender and Sexuality Studies programs.
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's 2023 passage of SB 17 banned DEI offices at public universities, while President Donald Trump's January 2025 executive order targeting DEI initiatives fueled nationwide anti-DEI sentiment at institutions of higher education.
- Dr. Danielle Clealand, an associate professor at the University, told ABC News of "shock" among faculty and students when notified about the consolidation. Aidan Keys, a PhD student, stated, "I really don't like that I don't have a department anymore."
- Indiana University Bloomington discontinued the AAADS major following a state mandate requiring 15 students to graduate from a bachelor's degree program over a three-year period to retain the degree. Students now earn an Interdisciplinary Studies degree with a subfield in AAADS.
- Harper, a University of Southern California professor, argued that Black Studies, Ethnic Studies, and Women's Studies are "incredibly resilient" fields despite encountering politicized resistance. Proponents contend the discipline remains essential for training citizens regarding discrimination and socio-economic relations.
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‘We won’t be erased’: Academics defend Black studies amid program cuts - Regional Media News
(NEW YORK) - At a time when Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts face local and federal backlash, some academics say that Black studies programs - several of which have been scaled back at colleges and universities across the nation - are more crucial than [...]
‘We won’t be erased’: Academics defend Black studies amid program cuts
(NEW YORK) - At a time when Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts face local and federal backlash, some academics say that Black studies programs - several of which have been scaled back at colleges and universities across the nation - are more crucial than ever. "The Trump administration has made clear to colleges and universities that they don't want them doing anything that is race conscious. So, institutions are very cowardly defundi…
'We won’t be erased': Academics defend Black studies amid program cuts
At a time when DEI efforts face backlash, some academics say that Black studies programs -- several of which have been scaled back -- are more crucial than ever.
'We won’t be erased': Academics defend Black studies amid program cuts - The Pulse of NH
Aidan Keys is a fourth-year PhD student studying African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. (Courtesy Aidan Keys)(NEW YORK) -- At a time when Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts face local and federal backlash,...
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