Staff Reports
A substantial $750,000 was recently granted by the U.S. Navy in support of a project that seeks to inspire students to pursue careers in STEM fields. That sounds fantastic, right? That is not the case. It comes out that recruiting underrepresented minority students is the project's top priority. Consider the concept of selective inclusivity.
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To encourage students to pursue degrees in science, technology, economics, and mathematics (STEM), the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) put forth a proposal. The twist, however, is that the Navy specifically allocated a budget extension for seventy-five scholarships for underrepresented minority students. Additionally, these students were granted early access to paid research internships conducted on campus. An antithesis to equitable opportunity.
The proposal endeavored to present the project in a manner that would afford opportunities to every student, irrespective of their academic credentials. However, we shall refer to a spade as a spade. This further exemplifies the left's fixation on identity politics. As an alternative to providing equal treatment to all pupils, the Navy favors certain individuals on the basis of race.
Furthermore, according to the proposal, minority pupils estimated to make up between 44% and 75% of the participants. Preference, not diversity, is the issue here. Despite the fact that the project's stated objective was to increase the number of STEM students from diverse backgrounds, it appears that meeting an arbitrary quota is their primary concern.
Permission was granted for the main project manager, Daniel McIntosh, to surpass the allocated funding limit with the intention of establishing tuition scholarships that are exclusively designated for underrepresented minority students. Such convenience! It is evident that the university's objective is to remove any financial obstacles that may hinder these pupils, leaving others responsible for covering the expenses.
The Navy ought to prioritize the development of a proficient and competent STEM labor force. However, their priorities appear to be mere box-checking and appeasing the awoke rabble. Our military's preference for affirmative action over meritocracy is disheartening.
"Equity Forward Workforce Development Pipeline for Naval STEM Superiority" is the culmination of this endeavor. An elaborate moniker befits a program that is anything but impartial. It is time for our institutions to place a greater emphasis on capabilities and credentials than on identity. Let us cease catering to the divisive agenda of the left and adopt a policy of genuine equality for all.
