Staff Reports
The office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis requested information about the diversity expenditures of the state's universities.
In a memo sent on December 28, DeSantis' press secretary Bryan Griffin asked Ray Rodrigues, the chancellor of Florida State University, and Manny Diaz, the education commissioner of Florida, to gather information about the state's universities' diversity programs.
In a memo, the governor's office stated that it was important that the public has a full understanding of how the state's educational institutions are spending their money. It requested information about the various programs and initiatives that are aimed at increasing diversity and inclusion.
Each initiative was asked to provide a brief description and the number of staff members involved in it. The administrators were also required to provide information about the program's funding and the total amount of money that the university uses to support it.
The rise of the diversity sector has been the subject of various reports. Some of these include a report by Fox News that stated that public universities in Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, and Virginia were paying varying salaries to diversity officials. According to the Heritage Foundation, colleges hire around three diversity staff members for every 100 tenured professors.
In response, the conservative think tank called on state legislatures and university trustees to investigate the extent of the resources that are allocated for diversity programs. They should also demand that the universities provide evidence of how they are spending their money.
After winning a second term as the chief executive of Florida, DeSantis has enacted various reforms aimed at combating the spread of the Critical Race Theory.
Two years ago, the governor signed two bills into law. One of these requires students to take civic literacy courses as a prerequisite for their graduation. The other requires the state's university and college to regularly assess the intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity of their establishments.
The reforms in the state's secondary and primary education systems drew criticism from left-wing groups due to how they were perceived to discriminate against those who are part of the LGBTQ community. One of the laws that was passed prevented schools from teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation.
During his second inauguration, DeSantis emphasized the importance of ensuring that schools are responsive to the needs of students and parents. He also said that the state's educational institutions should be focused on academic excellence instead of the imposition of "hippie ideology." He additionally promised to enact policies that would make it easier for parents to raise their children.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Daily Wire.
