MIT drops DEI diversity statements for faculty hiring that critics called a 'political litmus test'
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has dropped the requirement that faculty write a statement on diversity, equity and inclusion as part of the employment application process.
An MIT spokesperson confirmed Sunday that the institution dropped the requirement as part of its employment process, a decision that President Sally Kornbluth made. The move has reportedly received widespread support among campus leadership.
"My goals are to tap into the full scope of human talent, to bring the very best to MIT, and to make sure they thrive once here," Kornbluth said in a statement provided to media. "We can build an inclusive environment in many ways, but compelled statements impinge on freedom of expression, and they don't work."
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According to The UnHerd, MIT is the first elite private academic institution to drop the widespread practice among higher education institutions, which some critics have called a "political litmus test," without external pressure from a Republican-dominated state government.
Before the decision, some departments within MIT required potential staff members to craft an explanation for how they would promote DEI.
One example was MIT's EECS Communication Lab, which expected applicants to show "knowledge of challenges related to diversity, equity, and inclusion," a "track record of working with diverse groups of people and advancing DEI," and "what you will do as a faculty member to actively encourage DEI and belonging within your group, department, and community."
"A faculty application diversity statement is NOT a document explaining how you as a candidate are diverse. While it is fine to include personal stories if they have informed how you think about diversity, this should not be the main focus of the statement," explained EECS.
"Rather, a diversity statement is an opportunity to show that you care about the inclusion of many forms of identity in academia and in your field, including but not limited to gender, race/ethnicity, age, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, and ability status."
Critics of required diversity statements, such as the First Amendment advocacy group the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, believe that such requirements threaten academic freedom.
"Many DEI statement policies can too easily function as ideological litmus tests that threaten employment or advancement for faculty holding dissenting views," stated the FIRE on an FAQ page.
"FIRE's concerns about DEI statements rest not on opposition to diversity but to any mandate that faculty endorse specific views. It would be equally unacceptable to require faculty to affirm the importance of values like 'patriotism,' ‘individualism,' or 'capitalism,' or to demonstrate involvement in activities that promote them. Universities can promote DEI without infringing individual rights."
