Idaho State Board of Education bans 'diversity statements' from higher education job market

Idaho’s four-year schools will no longer be able to require job applicants to sign written “diversity statements.”

After brief discussion, the State Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday banning the statements “as a condition of hiring.”

The resolution goes into effect immediately, and covers Boise State University, the University of Idaho, Idaho State University and Lewis-Clark State College.

While the use of diversity statements has become a hot-button topic in national academic circles, it’s unclear whether the practice has been commonplace in Idaho.

“The board is not aware of any specific concerns by faculty in Idaho, nor the extent to which diversity statements have been used for hiring decisions at Idaho’s public postsecondary institutions,” board staff said in a memo to State Board members.

The resolution seeks to carve out two paths.




https://idahocapitalsun.com/2023/04/26/idaho-state-board-of-education-bans-diversity-statements-from-higher-education-job-market/