USUAA is UAA's student government. Photo by Matthew Schmitz.
The Union of Students of the University of Alaska Anchorage, known as USUAA, passed a resolution at a meeting on Feb. 28 opposing how the University of Alaska is making changes to diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
The University of Alaska Board of Regents passed a motion the previous week directing university leadership to remove the terms “diversity,” “equity” and “inclusion,” known as DEI, from university websites and communications.
“Affirmative action” and “DEI” are among the terms listed by the board to be removed.
The board also directed leaders to begin assessing programs to be changed in accordance with federal guidance on DEI.
UAF, UAA and UAS all fall under the wider University of Alaska system.
Since the board passed the motion, two departments at UAA have been renamed and several positions have had their titles renamed, according to reporting by The Northern Light.
USUAA’s resolution, which is called “USUAA’s Stance on the Board of Regents’ Erasure of DEI,” passed unanimously, with all 10 members in attendance voting in favor.
It was written by Senator Jason Ritter, Senator Arel Gutierrez and Vice-President Kaitlin Norton.
USUAA President Eisa Chang endorsed the resolution.
Chang said at the meeting, “Personally, I have heard from many students who are very fearful. Like what does it mean when we do not use this language at UAA and the whole university?”
“There’s a lot of anxiety of ‘what does that mean’ for their identity and their program that they have been enjoying and felt supported by.”
The Student Union Esports manager, Daniel Ribuffo, was at the meeting and commented on the term erasure used in the title.
He said, “Erasure is this idea that by chipping away at the fringes of these different groups, that eventually they will cease to be acknowledged and thus be erased.”
Norton expanded on that, saying, “It was a very pointed decision to frame it as erasure, because that is what it is — erasing diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the university system.”
Delegate Jacob Clifford talked about the problem of allowing the board’s motion to remain unopposed:
“People around me have said this is kind of like a slippery slope thing … If we don’t stamp this thing out, bad things are going to happen. It’s only going to get worse.”
Ritter pointed out the problems with trying to maintain services while banning the words that describe those services.
“While there have been statements made about the university not changing their mission, continuing to support diversity, equity and inclusion … you literally removed the words,” he said.
“How can you support diversity, equity and inclusion when that’s no longer in our mission? When that’s no longer something … the university will talk about?”
Ritter said, “The resolution really speaks for itself, and this is what is in the best interest for students and the community.”
The resolution criticized the board’s actions, pointing out possible violations of First Amendment rights, violations of academic freedom, lack of definition of terms and recent court rulings against a presidential executive order related to DEI.
The resolution lists students with disabilities, veterans, and military personnel as all benefiting from DEI-related programs.
DEI often refers to programs with targeted support that help marginalized communities achieve equality in society.
The impact to Alaska Natives was underscored in the resolution:
“Alaska Native communities have faced centuries of discrimination, with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives playing a crucial role in providing stability and access to education and employment opportunities. This ban risks limiting scholarships, weakening UAA’s Native Student Services, reducing cultural course offerings, and undermining other vital support services for Native Alaskans at UAA.”
According to the resolution, the lack of immediate legal or financial risk exposed the board’s decision as one “driven by political expediency.”
The resolution calls on the board to reverse course and protection of DEI programs:
“Therefore, be it hereby resolved that the Union of Students of the University of Alaska Anchorage unequivocally rebukes the
Board of Regents’ decision and demands its immediate reversal. Therefore, be it hereby further resolved that the University shall protect all services, spaces, and initiatives related to diversity,
inclusion, and equity—including, but not limited to, the Multicultural Center Lounge, Native Student Services, the Pride Center, and associated events, courses, and student organizations—from any shutdown or defunding.”
The resolution seeks to have “university leadership to publicly reaffirm their commitment to fostering an inclusive environment and to take substantive action to ensure that the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion remain embedded in hiring, admissions, curriculum, and campus culture.”
There were also calls for transparency in how the board of regents came to their decision and why it was made without any public discussion.
USUAA encouraged resistance against the motion passed by the board.
“Therefore let it hereby be further resolved that the Union of Students at the University of Alaska Anchorage calls on all students, faculty, alumni and community members to actively resist this erasure through sustained advocacy, campus organizing and, if necessary, legal challenges to safeguard our institution’s core values.”
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