Colorado College (CC) announced Thursday it will welcome any college student seeking to transfer from an “anti-DEI state,” according to a press release.
Several states have banned the usage of public funds for initiatives in public schools and universities, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, that prioritize persons on the basis of immutable characteristics such as race or sex, and the Supreme Court struck down race-based admissions in June. The program at CC is called “Healing and Affirming Village and Empowerment Network,” which aims to provide a place for students who wish to leave colleges and universities that no longer have DEI departments, according to the press release. (RELATED: Universities Rebrand Their ‘Diversity And Inclusion’ Departments As Red State Laws Kick Into Effect)
“We are excited to launch this new program as the college deepens our commitment to anti-racism,” Vice President for Enrollment Mark Hatch said, according to the press release.
A Pride flag and Transgender flag are displayed at the Whitman-Walker at Liz building in Washington, DC, on August 7, 2023. (Photo by STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
“HAVEN is a response to an immediate need for those in harm’s way and I am proud that CC is acting out our commitment to antiracism in such a meaningful manner,” Rosalie Rodriguez, associate vice president of Institutional Equity and Belonging, said in the press release.
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill in June banning the usage of public funds for programs that favor one group of individuals over another on the basis of race, gender or ethnicity, effectively outlawing DEI programs in the state. Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill doing the same in the state Florida in May.
North Carolina’s legislature overturned Republican North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 364 in June, banning DEI in the state. Tennessee enacted a bill outlawing the teaching of “divisive concepts” in May 2022, including DEI. North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum signed a bill prohibiting DEI statements as requirements for employment.
“The purpose of establishing the program is to give students, who made college selection choices prior to these legislations, an opportunity to now make a choice that better serves their needs. As the barriers for transfer are often quite different than for first time students, HAVEN will allow us to address these hurdles directly for students coming from those states,” Associate Vice-President for Institutional Equity & Belonging at Colorado College told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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