Ultimatum from the top on "DEI"

Right here at our University of Minnesota-Morris

I'm innocently scanning headlines this morning and not looking for any excuse to project dismay about something. Well it's pretty hard in the age of Trump. We wanted this. We have elected a congressperson who throws herself into Trump's arms in a figurative way of speaking. 

Michelle Fischbach made sure we all new that Biden "was found in possession of classified documents." Sounds just as scandalous as "Hillary's emails." Whatever became of that? Turned into a whisper? Maybe not even that. But it helped get DJT elected the first time with the help of the mountain of hard-edged "conservative media," the likes of which we were protected from in the days of the Fairness Doctrine. 

It was easy to criticize the Fairness Doctrine in theory. Today we have to ask "what hath God wrought" with the likes of the raft of conservative talk hosts. The heroes of these people have really truly seized the reins of government power now. They are no longer an amusement. And they really truly are coming after "DEI" and everything that smacks of it. 

Looks like the Stephen Miller types are absolutely not going to back down. I wrote recently about what the anti-DEI thing could portend for our UMN-Morris campus. It's awfully soon to be writing about it again. But my, look at the headlines on this Thursday morning. Thursday at the end of our godawful cold spell. The turnaround starts on Friday, looks like. 

Will the more moderate temperatures put me in a more favorable, more optimistic mood? So I don't come off as, well, curmudgeonly? 

Maybe I do not in theory like a lot of what makes up "DEI." But we in the Morris area have to look out for our parochial interests. Read economic interests. Colleges have been thought of as enormous economic drivers for their communities. 

Yes our Morris campus has shrunken in some ways. Can't deny it, can we? I just finished putting up a post expressing dismay at what is happening to our UMM music department. Can't put lipstick on this: in order to survive, UMM music ensembles must now include community people with the standard students. Of course I object to that. I mean I object on principle. And when I write things I am usually doing so with an interest in principle. 

Then again we must try to take care of our interests here in Morris which may not seem easy because of our remote location. Maybe we're so remote, the top Federal authorities will not notice us? Seriously, I wonder if that is what is in the cards to give us hope. I do not know if our free tuition for Native Americans is based on a real actual "treaty." Or is it just some long-ago law or "policy." 

Stephen Miller

If it's law or policy, I fail to see how this would pass muster with the Stephen Miller types. I'd eat my hat if it did. And beyond that, the conservative-infused Supreme Court made a ruling to ban "affirmative action." 

Now, college people are of course very clever souls and they can "tweak" things to keep everything according to Hoyle. But man I have to wonder on this Thursday morning of the arctic blast of 2025, because look at the news coming our way. DJT and his whole "movement" if you want to call it that isn't fooling around. Their rhetoric has consequences, or it sure looks that way. 

The headline in "USA Today": "Trump gave schools two weeks to ban DEI." 

"Ominous" is how the USA Today article described the four-page letter sent by the U.S. Department of Education - doesn't DJT want that eliminated? - to campuses and states across the country. The directive from on high is sweeping to say the least. It "applies to nearly every aspect of educational life," the article stated. 

No wiggle room, not even for clever attorneys, of which I'm sure our U of M has several? The panic and confusion has even spread to K-12 administrators. 

 

The pecking order

One question that I have: Does UMM really have to answer to Federal authorities so much? Or is UMM more bound by State of Minnesota guidelines? Republicans like to trumpet the de-centralizing of power, don't they? Historically they have. 

I don't know what kind of umbrella of protection that UMM can get from the state in our blue state (for now) of Minnesota. And remember, if we allow Republicans to take over as seems quite possible, we'll say goodbye to the "Pornhub" website. That is happening in Republican-led states. And Republicans never look at Pornhub, right? Would be immoral? 

But they elected DJT who paid off a top porn star to try to silence her after a tryst. These things get complicated and confusing. 

Confusing even at our local level where of course we have Republicans as our representatives in St. Paul. These are steadfast Republicans, this pair whose names are Torrey Westrom and Paul Anderson. They wouldn't give an inch, would they? They're in line with Fischbach for sure, right? 

Torrey Westrom

But wait a minute, Westrom and Anderson have appeared quite on board with UMM's DEI commitment. Like even as cheerleaders holding pom-poms. We are so human an animal. 

Psst, don't tell anyone but we have a "multi-ethnic building" on our campus. It's a part of the U of M's 2023 capital request, so we are hardly soft-pedaling this place. Realistically it's a small building that could just as well be abandoned. Whatever goes on there, assuming it would even be allowed to continue, could be shifted elsewhere on campus and I'm sure such space exists. 

But I'm just an objective outsider. Now people have to nudge me so I can see the party line. Remember, colleges are major economic drivers of their communities. The U of M says the multi-ethnic building needs "essential updates." Well, whatever they say I guess. 

The building was the original home to the music department, and all concerts were held at Edson. Actually I thought that arrangement was very nice. 

Here's from UMM's website: "Rep. Paul Anderson and Sen. Torrey Westrom have introduced bills in the Minnesota House and Senate to provide state bonding to improve accessibility and upgrade life safety and building systems in the building." 

The project would have an elevator installed. 

The U of M is powerful, we all know that. But there's a new sheriff in town with the Federal government too. We have the Stephen Miller influence. You think it's all a bluff? That's always a possibility. But on this Thursday morning in our Flyoverland, well I think it's "ominous." 

I'm sure the elevator will be expensive. And I'm sure this building is not even needed. And how can we count on a continued demand for it, in light of the big push to stamp DEI right out of existence? 

Paul Anderson

Have Westrom and Anderson even paused for a moment to realize they are bucking their Republican party in a major way? I mean by supporting clear and obvious DEI? 

And whither UMM as a whole in light of how the winds are blowing?

Here's from the UMM website:

The Office of Equity, Diversity and Intercultural Programs, which includes the Multi-Ethnic Student Program, LGBTQIA2S+ Programs, Gateway Scholars Program, and the International Student Program, supports events, programs, and partnerships that:

• Strengthen relationships, intercultural competence, and global citizenship
• Promote a diverse, inclusive, and just community
• Advance the engagement and success of students from traditionally underserved backgrounds in the U.S. and international students from around the world.

 (End of quoted material)

 

Now what?

Should we all do a Hail Mary here in Morris now? Whistling past the graveyard? Make no mistake, the campus is a beautiful little collection of buildings. But could it ever come up with a new purpose? Steve Sviggum has warned us. Perhaps we ignore his warning at our peril.

UMM is stressed at present. What if it cannot survive in its current form? Remember a truism often voiced about Donald Trump, that he "destroys everything that he touches." I will repeat what Michael Lackey has told me, that Trump "chased away the foreign students and they were our cash cow."

  

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com