As supporters deny and downplay Samford University's commitment to its radical diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program, embattled president Beck Taylor doubled down on the school's DEI commitment this week.
The College Fix reported that in a recent speech, Taylor attempted to rebrand the school's DEI and social justice as "biblical justice."
He framed efforts to combat racist DEI programs as averse to "collective and individual efforts to end racism and sexism".
In a four-minute speech that included a condemnation of 1819 News, saying that the reporting of its DEI practices and progressive professors is "despicable, and it is wrong." Taylor claimed that "the overarching goal of these articles is to stir the pot."
Explaining, "Any mention of racism and sexism in our culture and in our educational institutions is a violation of some newly imagined social contract that magically eliminates the need to continue to educate students on important elements of our history and of our current lived experience." Saying that factual news stories are, "clearly meant to unfairly shame Samford for the work we feel so clearly called to."
He goes on to say that he doesn't wish to "breathe life" into the 1819 News investigation of DEI and the current left-wing progressive agenda on campus. This starkly contrasts the fact that he emailed trustees about the stories multiple times.
"Samford will continue to elevate its identity as a Christian institution of higher learning. As a place of discovery and of ideas. As a place of thinking and scholarship. We will continue to uphold our longstanding tradition of supporting facility scholarship and teaching on contemporary positions and especially on ones that require discerning and knowledgeable Christian perspectives. Finally, you should know that Samford's board of trustees voted unanimously yesterday to affirm the university's leadership and its Christian calling to uphold justice," Taylor continued.
Saying, "We are in lockstep and will not be bullied into changing our values and our priorities. And we certainly will not be deterred by contrived stories that make the Samford we know and love unrecognizable."
Closing with, "Samford will continue to promote biblical justice as part of its educational mission even if some struggle to reconcile that with their own beliefs. You have my commitment on that."
Prior to its recent update to its Diversity Action Plan, Samford University included the following goals:
- Provide incentives for students of color and underrepresented students (i.e., first generation) students to study abroad (VP-AA/BUS)
- Increase the diversity of the undergraduate and graduate student population (with priority at the undergraduate level) (VP-SAEM)
- Determine and increase scholarship funds for students of color (VP-BUS/SAEM/ADV)
- Provide funding for mental health support for students of color (VP-BUS/SAEM)
- Prioritize the hiring of a full-time campus minister of color in the Office of Spiritual Life (VP-SAEM)
While these have been removed from the document online, the university has not commented on whether it has reprioritized them as goals.
Taylor's speech reaffirmed his commitment to the university's DEI programs, describing them as "diversity and biblical justice," a term that does not appear in the school's Diversity Action Plan.
Taylor's statement contradicts the defense offered by one supporter, who described the university's defense of its DEI programing in several X posts saying, "[T]here was an overreaction to the George Floyd manner in 2021, and few of the 'policies' being pushed by a few 'bad actors' were never implemented." The same supporter continued in another message, asserting, "A few problem faculty members don't demonstrate a structural problem."
With a timeline beginning in 2020 and continuing through this year, Samford University has committed to progressive DEI programs.
In March, Carla Novaes-Reddick, the director of Student Involvement, told the Samford Crimson, "Samford's proactive approach signals a positive direction in fostering an inclusive campus. While other universities face challenges around DEI policies, Samford's commitment to maintaining and enhancing its DEI initiatives demonstrates that the university is focused on long-term growth and inclusivity, regardless of external pressures."
One of the school's goals is to integrate it into every aspect of its campus experience. In March, 1819 News asked Samford University if that was still a goal. The university did not respond to the request for comment.
Twenty-nine staff members served on the 2022 Diversity Action Plan Committee, and 24 are still at the university.
Taylor interviewed Denise Gregory, who then held the title Diversity Action Planning Committee chair, associate provost for Student Success and Diversity and Inclusion, and associate professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, endorsing the Racial Justice Task Force report and the then-forthcoming Diversity Action Plan.
In the same video, Gregory promotes a school-wide lunch & learn with Niya Pickett Miller, the professor who wrote, "Institutionally, I have support for the race, gender, and culture-themed courses I teach. Still, I understand that faith-based universities may encourage critical thinking, but they also prioritize guiding students toward specific conclusions based on their religious beliefs. Many of my students come with an expectation for learning that upholds conventional Christian values and conservative ideological views. This is likely because they have not reconciled the difference between society's ideological divisions and those they were raised with, their critical thoughts, and exposure to new ideas from college."
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