UF becomes the latest Florida school to gut DEI programs

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — The University of Florida took some of the most drastic actions against diversity, equity, and inclusion in the state Friday by eliminating more than a dozen full-time campus positions including the “chief diversity officer.”

UF, Florida’s flagship school, closed the Chief Diversity Officer’s office, scrapped other jobs and “halted DEI-focused” vendor contracts in a wave of decisions under President Ben Sasse. The moves are a response to higher education reforms backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republicans in the state who are targeting “wokeness” and liberal “indoctrination” in Florida’s university system.

"DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities," DeSantis said Friday on X. "I’m glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit."

Florida’s opposition to DEI programs took a major step forward in January when the state university system Board of Governors granted final approval to a rule enacting higher education reforms pushed by GOP policymakers.

As such, Florida universities are prohibited from using state or federal cash to fund any activities tied to “diversity, equity and inclusion” or “political or social activism,” which carry broad definitions and could apply to a wide range of programs. Schools now are beginning to enact these policies locally.

“The University of Florida is — and will always be — unwavering in our commitment to universal human dignity,” school officials wrote in an administrative memo that was first reported by UF’s campus newspaper, the Alligator. “As we educate students by thoughtfully engaging a wide range of ideas and views, we will continue to foster a community of trust and respect for every member of the Gator Nation.”

The university stated that 13 full-time positions were eliminated and 15 faculty members had their administrative appointments ended.

The Office of the Chief Diversity Officer at UF has at least three employees and is dedicated to charting “the inclusive excellence strategy for the university,” according to its website. The chief officer served on the president’s cabinet as a “senior advisor” on “matters related to the university’s core value of inclusion.”

Gutting DEI expenses is expected to save UF some $5 million between salaries and expenditures, cash the school plans to spend instead on a faculty recruitment fund, according to the memo.

UF employees who saw their positions eliminated will get the university’s standard rate of 12 weeks of pay and are encouraged to apply for new jobs, the memo notes.

Other schools have taken similar action recently, such as the University of North Florida announcing intentions to “phase out” its Office of Diversity and Inclusion as well as the Intercultural Center, Interfaith Center, LGBTQ Center and Women’s Center. Florida International University “eliminated” its Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as noted in a message on its website.