Back in 2018, House Majority Leader Lee Qualm had posed a number of questions to the Board of Regents with regards to how balanced opinions were being promoted at our State Universities in response to the Board’s promises in 2018 to take care of concerns over intellectual diversity on college campuses:
16) The Pierre Capital Journal (January 31, 2018) reported on diversity, multiculturalism, and/or social justice classes being taught at South Dakota universities. Are programs which operate under the rubric of diversity, multiculturalism, and/or social justice competing for resources with traditional education in civics, history, and government? How many diversity, multiculturalism, and/or social justice programs exist on South Dakota campuses, how much do they cost, and how many faculty are affiliated with these programs? More generally, what courses are offered at South Dakota universities which could be considered to be associated with the causes of ”social justice” and “equity”? Who teaches these courses? What is the goal of these courses? Are courses which offer a counter point of view to “social justice” and “equity” courses offered at South Dakota universities? If so, please list them.
The Regents replied:
The University of South Dakota
USD does not have programs or courses that focus exclusively on social justice, diversity or multiculturalism, and it does not require students to enroll in courses that emphasize these subjects.
So, how does that claim in the letter to Lee Qualm correspond with what we highlighted last night?
Social Justice Training
The University of South Dakota offers opportunities to achieve numerous diversity learning outcomes that prepare students for living, working, and leading in a diverse democracy. Effective leaders in today’s society need to understand the concepts of worldview, intercultural communication, privilege, social identity, oppression, systemic racism, heterosexism, sexism, multicultural leadership, ingroup favoritism, discrimination and power.
Courses, community service, guest speakers, cultural presentations, student organizations, departments, and majors are all dimensions of USD that promote diversity education and understanding.
Curious. Those statements don’t seem to be the same. There was the statement to House Majority Leader Lee Qualm. And there’s the statement on the USD website. And the two don’t seem to exactly reconcile with the other.
So why should we trust the Board of Regents when it comes to guaranteeing intellectual diversity on our campuses?
More to come.
Noem needs to fire every single one of them.
I’m waiting for a white male conservatibe student to suffer discrimination and sue USD, the school’s president, the Board of Regents, and Governor Noem. I hope it happens.
I would guess that a white male conservative has been passed over for acceptance to USD in favor of someone with the same qualifications except their minority status.
The answer is that usd is lying. Again! They use your tax money to fund the left. And then they lie about it. Maybe Bolin will finally notice
How is it really a lie when the course description is in plain sight? The only thing Bolin should notice is that he needs to find a better dentist and barber.
Well, either USD or the BOR lied about NOT having such a course. Isn’t that pretty obvious, or is it too complex for you?
The legislative leadership won’t be satisfied until liberal arts education (understand the difference between capital “L” liberal and small “l” liberal?) is removed from SD higher education. Better to turn out drones that can contribute to the group think that prevails in many Pierre circles. SD is destined to remain a stagnant backwater with few economic development successes if we don’t foster a culture of objective thinkers who have some exposure to other cultures and ideologies. This is one thing that many companies look for when making decisions to move (its not always about low taxes and little regulation).
These students are adults. It’s not like this class is being forced on 7th graders or even in high schools. Adults are allowed to make choices, and some even make choices that are harmful, like smoking and drinking. Choosing to be more well-rounded by taking classes that discuss diverse issues is a good thing. Actually, a class like this one, taken alongside a legislative-mandated government class actually enhances what should be learned from the government class.
The outrage felt by the above comments may be more about the student getting a grade he or she doesn’t agree with, and playing the discrimination card rather than doing the work to understand the depth and breadth of the subject matter.
So your for limiting speech on campuses you disagree with?
My point is decisions aren’t being allowed by students. Hawaiian day is offensive? Really?
Whats next, St Patrick’s Day?
Who are these kings in school UN-elected admin that have the absolute authority to distinguish what is and isn’t acceptable?
Your limiting of speech in all forms or intimidating speech through grades and social acceptance is threatening and has no place on campuses. The difference is this. If a republican doesn’t believe in guns he/she doesn’t buy one. If a democrat/socialist doesn’t, he bans everyone from owning one. Your tactics are out in the open finally. Schools and government institutions seem to be the place where these tactics are used to herd thinking through intimidation.
I tell my kids to write the paper their professor/teacher wants them to write, not what they believe. Because the influence these people have is on your grade, which matters for now. But long term, means nothing.
I’m for limiting stupid speech on college campuses. Should we then, in the interest of allowing “all views” to be represented, allow a course about the earth actually being flat? That the earth is the center of the universe? That chemistry is wrong and there are only 4 elements? That slavery is acceptable in western democracy? That Hitler did nothing wrong? That supply-side economics improves the lives of the less fortunate?
Where do you draw the line?
Let the market place decide what is or isn’t acceptable. Administrators & Educators should not be the gate keeper in centers of learning or involved at all. You said “I’m for limiting stupid speech on college campuses”, that scares me. Who decides this? Debate the person you disagree with don’t take away his speech. Who do you trust to make these judgement calls?
Ike, I can’t believe you really believe what you said above. Your examples are easily debunked through debate, a person arguing those points will quickly be disproved. Hitler by the way was for limiting speech and burning books. Your supply side economics statement is debatable however. 🙂
The marketplace has proven itself to be a less than reliable partner in uplifting the human condition in an equitable way – hence, our republic and societal limits on the power of the market. Same with college – bad ideas are debunked and left out of the debate of better ideas. Y’all clamor for free speech, but that quickly devolves into a free-for-all. Given the short time and vast sums of money involved in a college education, there need to be limits on what discussions should and should not take place on campus. Head to the park or the steps of city hall if you want to proclaim the sky is falling.
As for who decides? Hell, I don’t know. I leave that to the faculty, administrators, BoR, and the students to figure out – just like I leave it to the officers and members of the National Guard to figure out what training they need, who to assign to what post, and whatever unit gets whatever equipment.
The Hawaiian Party example has proven the BOR and administration are incapable as well. More free speech is always better. In a free society its a slippery slope to have bureaucrats, school administrators or teachers determining which speech is acceptable as we all have bias. Allowing one to speak will prove your ideas are worthwhile or not. Sunlight is always the best disinfectant. Making it difficult through security fees or constantly moving the venue or just not letting speakers come to a campus is a dangerous president. It’s fine when its speech you disagree with, but what if its speech you agree with. We’re all in bed together when it come to the first amendment . I want all speech heard and debated. Nobody should should be the speech police except when invoking violence or putting lives at risk.
I appreciate the dialogue with no name calling or words of anger. It can done.
I wholeheartedly agree that more speech is better – pretty sure that’s why we’re all talking now, and that Mr. Powers has provided a venue for it to occur. I still believe that you would agree that debunked ideas are not worth pursuing on campus, correct? Again, it’s where we draw the line.
And for the record, I too disagree with shouting down and excluding speakers and students with valid ideas from sharing. Along with diversity and inclusivity (is that even a word?), there needs to be a return to civil dialog so ideas can be debated, taught, or discarded.
Agreed on both accounts. I just don’t know who determines what is and isn’t worth talking about. We all have bias.
Great exchange
But, Ike, didn’t you express not long ago how unsure you are about political correctness? Now you’re wholeheartedly for more speech?
How easily you fall for anything b/c you don’t stand for anything.
I said I was on the fence about whether it’s gone too far or where you draw the line vis-a-vis Hawaii. What if they had an N-word party and dressed in blackface? You okay with that sort of free speech? War bonnets and peace pipes okay with you at a native themed event? Maybe rather than looking to ‘own the libs’ you should give a listen.
You also said, I’m for more speech and debate… except for this kind or that kind. What a solid stand you’ve taken!
I’ve attended many pow-wow parties because I’m Indian. I’ve even lent out dresses to friends who are not Indian. I don’t care. I’m not weak minded enough to be offended.
What is it that drives you to think you need to be outraged for me? Indians don’t need you to decide which battles we should fight.
Should I come to you for approval next time I create a star quilt for a white family?
But you’re okay with blackface? Like I said…
Where do you draw the line?
THAT is what I’m on the fence about – everyone has a different stick to put their line in the sand, and I honestly can’t tell you EXACTLY where I would draw the line. I can definitely listen and try to understand why someone might be upset with a government-sanctioned event they find offensive. I don’t have to necessarily agree, but FFS, LISTEN and try to figure out what’s got ’em all riled up.
In your case, I guess I can understand your anger and frustration at someone not seeing the world in black-and-white, all-or-none perspective, but it doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game.
Did you know the Apollo moon landings never happened? All done in a movie studio.
You are familiar with William Cooper?
there is a trend across the country where conservative students and guest speakers are openly terrorized on campus, if not beaten bloody. just because it doesn’t happen here in the most flagrantly violent fashion doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen. it doesn’t make the news often enough because there’s a whole different but somewhat related problem with the nation’s few broadcast and print national portals, where the evidence shows they make a practice of playing the news for political advantage. there’s no danger to ‘liberal arts education’ except liberal arts education itself, becoming vastly more expensive than any graduate will ever be able to afford to pay back, barring a powerball win. the subtle “who me?” nature of the south dakota campus diversity issue demands that the board of regents and college presidents become active stakeholders in rooting it out and eliminating it. i’m not sure the alchemy to create this has been solved yet.
The legislature needs to visit our campuses. These places are infused with PC and liberal wannabees controlling thought. The “Diversity Excellence” program that USD has is intended to plant social justice warriors in every program on campus. Please intervene and save us normies on campus
And when was the last time YOU were on a college campus? Apparently never, because the situation you describe doesn’t exist, except maybe in some very small non-university affiliated groups. But then you would be trying to squelch these small groups’ right of expression. Hypocrisy reigns in SD.
What this means, Mr. Powers, is that the Regents and USD lied to Speaker of the House Qualm. They are trying to hide all their liberal programs and “diversity” classes, which is just Nancy Pelosi talking point classes. It’s sad. Glad someone is finally paying attention
The head of the USD “diversity office” is a Black Lives Activist named Chandler who is always telling everyone how racist and evil whites are. There’s a good investigation for the leglislature to have. Keep digging people! You’re going to find a lot of bad stuff that taxpayers have no idea they are paying for
Pat — those letters you linked to from legislators are great. Lots of information in there about the extremely dumb “Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity” offices on South Dakota campuses that all taxpayers are forced to pay for. If word gets out about this there’s going to be outrage. No wonder the Regents are lying about what really goes on in these offices
Use the link at the bottom of this post to read FIRE’s information on college speech regulations — or speech codes at universities in South Dakota.
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, or FIRE, is a nonprofit educational foundation based in Philadelphia. FIRE’s mission is to defend and sustain individual rights at America’s colleges and universities. These rights include freedom of speech, legal equality, due process, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience—the essential qualities of individual liberty and dignity.
A “red light” institution has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech. A “clear” restriction is one that unambiguously infringes on what is or should be protected expression. In other words, the threat to free speech at a red light institution is obvious on the face of the policy and does not depend on how the policy is applied.
A “yellow light” institution is one whose policies restrict a more limited amount of protected expression or, by virtue of their vague wording, could too easily be used to restrict protected expression. For example, a ban on “posters containing references to alcohol or drugs” violates the right to free speech because it unambiguously restricts speech on the basis of content and viewpoint, but its scope is very limited.
https://www.thefire.org/spotlight/?x=&speech_code=&y=SD&institution_type=&speech_code_advanced=&y_advanced=SD#search-results
If you don’t see that this course is an indoctrination class you are deluding yourself. This course is there to push the left-wing, socialist agenda, and I would pull any support from my kid if they took something as worthless as this.
The director of Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Access at SDSU teaching classes on “systemic racism and inequality” and forcing students to be indoctrinated
And YOU suckers/taxpayers are paying for it!
Buuwwaaahahahah
https://sdsucollegian.com/1008/news/diversity-academy-to-give-in-depth-look-at-inequality/
Here’s a story about the “director of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access” at SDSU launching a Diversity Academy propagate left wing beliefs and generate social justice warriors on campus. Students get credit for BECOMING leftwingers and “they will receive a certificate for equity advancement and cultural competence”!! WTF people! This is totally nuts. Then the article says a “Diversity Council will be launched soon, which brings stakeholders on campus together to encourage greater diversity and inclusion on campus” UGHH. Nobody voted for this or authorized this! Stop spending my money on nonsense. No wonder kids today are so screwed up
https://sdsucollegian.com/922/news/sa-discusses-diversity-academy-and-other-inclusion-programs/
Thanks for the legislators for tackling this issue. This article will help you on your journey:
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/02/24/creating_an_ivory_tower_welcoming_to_conservatives_139563.html
The BOR needs to be held accountable. Sure, you can demand some patch verbiage thru the legislature but that does nothing to change how we find ourselves here. The backslapping and campaign contributions of former administrations known as the BOR needs a flushing. They’ve lost what little collective focus they’ve ever had of the matter. So it turns out to be a Noem problem. She might have to hurt some feels. But what an opportunity for the “All In” white cisgender ! She owes these formers nothing and can now DNA her vision.
This is a very interesting discussion. What needs to be understood is that the false premise that South Dakota is a conservative state because it is lead by Republicans, is a result of the mass-mind brainwashing that is being lead by universities. The South Dakota legislative sessions have proven to be examples of “social justice” (so-called) implementation.
You will also find that agenda in many so-called Christian South Dakota churches, which dates back to the beginnings of the “Social Gospel” and liberation theology. The so-called social justice agenda is currently being lead by the Jesuit Pope Francis.
Where’s Bolin? Is he voting for free speech or not?
How much do our universities spend on offices of “diversity and inclusion”? Because that’s a lot of money that could be cut and spent on something important. Where are the Appropriators in Pierre? they should cut this crap
agreed
For that matter, why spend money on volleyball? Theater? Rodeo? Toss out all the programs I personally don’t like, and just do what I say, right? I challenge you to find a Fortune 500 company that doesn’t have an HR staff well-versed in “diversity and inclusion” if your argument is that “diversity and inclusion” aren’t valid areas of study and research.
Dear Jim— if you’re listening, please vote for the bill. It’s the right thing to do
Shut up and shovel your manure in your own schools. Liberals own education.
I wish Governor Noem would issue a declaration shutting down these social justice warrior offices on campus. They are not about education. They are just liberals indoctrinating our students. Enough already
here’s where are campuses are right now folks:
“I called for diversity of thought. My peers compared me to a neo-Nazi.” https://www.thecollegefix.com/i-called-for-diversity-of-thought-my-peers-compared-me-to-a-neo-nazi/
look at all the course for the “Inclusion and Equity” minor at SDSU. It’s all totally left-wing indoctrination. Who approved this??
http://catalog.sdstate.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=34&poid=8087
Pat would tell you that it was the Legislature.
I wonder if a class action law suit could ever materialize for offering classes and degrees that cant pay for themselves. If you push a student towards a degree that you cant realistically make a living at while paying back your loans hows that different from what cigarette companies did when they lied about the effects of smoking?
Pat, thoughts?
I cant see the difference.
I don’t think such a suit would ever leave the starting blocks. The purpose of college is to build an educated, inquisitive, and engaged populace, perform research, and guide the future toward general improvements in society. While “getting a job” is certainly an ancillary goal (and not without value!), it’s by no means the raison d’être for their existence. Some people just wanna learn, ya know?
But don’t ask me to pay for your learning journey or complain about your student debt. Some of us worked our butts off to pay for our college and have as little debt as possible. Society doesn’t owe people a college education to just “learn”. At some point we need to make grown up decisions and contribute to society and not be a leach. Bernie buying votes through college debt forgiveness will really drive the costs of education through the roof.
Not every kid who enters kindergarten is going to cure cancer or invent cold fusion, yet we educate them for “free” (i.e. taxes!) – learning creates an educated populace. That’s it. That’s the goal. Smarter people make smarter decisions, are informed about various issues, and contribute in many ways well beyond $$$ for the greater good.
I refer back to my case in point that rodeo seems to me to be a monumental waste of time, talent, and effort at first blush… I mean, what kind of idiot straps himself to the back of rampaging 1500lb monster? What kind of society funds such an endeavor at a state university? Oh, yeah. It’s part of our heritage and culture. It’s part of what makes us American. I can get behind that idea without having to love bullriding, yeah?
Why is Noem silent on this? The Board of Regents are fall I le for this. She’s responsible for the Board of Regents. This is the Governor’s mess.
It appears that this is not an issue for Noem’s top donors so expect continued inaction on her part.
I won’t be surprised if the appropriations committee defunds the diversity offices after this nonsensical political correctness.
Should the legislature try to defund diversity offices they risk the loss of accreditation for each of the state’s universities. The HLC, the accrediting body, requires universities to address diversity on their campuses. Simply because you don’t like it doesn’t mean you are right. It simply means you are ignorant.
At least for myself, I don’t have a problem with the diversity offices or their missions.
What I do have a problem with is providing “inaccurate” information to the legislature when they are relying on it to make decisions.
So black mail is the approach?
Lose accreditation or do as I say?
Then you wonder why middle America doesn’t trust academia. I agree with Pats above post. I’m not sure I’m against these offices but your post sure doesn’t help your cause/case.
Convince me don’t threaten/blackmail me. Give me a intellectual answer to the why. Exchange ideas but your answer above shuts down debate.
“Middle America” doesn’t trust academia because it doesn’t understand academia. According to the latest census data, less than 35% of the working age population has a bachelors degree or higher.
And I didn’t attempt to blackmail anybody – I just stated a fact. If you inferred something else, that is on you
And finally, I agree with Mr. Power’s position. Intentionally providing misleading information is problematic. But the diversity requirements aren’t the problem.
So your logic… because less than 35% of the working age population has a bachelors degree or higher they don’t “understand” academia? Interesting.
You do know “middle America” has access to the internet? Many of us are aware of what is taking place on college campuses. Some of the most revealing videos are the ones of students recording how racist and bigoted the professors have become.
If you take time to watch LwC’s change my mind series, you may see that academia isn’t turning out the brightest of society. Want to discuss where AOC received her degree and how she’s successfully applied her knowledge?