Despite the fact that the Trump administration has ordered all universities that receive federal funds to stop promoting DEI ideology, many institutions of woker learning continue to try to sneak DEI into all kinds of programs and standards. That includes Stanford University.
Stanford undergrad student Ben Botvinick wrote an open letter to the Board of Trustees for Leland Stanford Junior Universit, which was published in The Stanford Review on Feb. 17. In it, Botvinick criticized an email from the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) Nominations Commission that explicitly insisted upon Board of Trustee applicants committing to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ideology.
Botvinick argued not only that this is “not in the university‘s best interest,” but also that it is in violation of new standards from the Trump administration. As a Stanford undergraduate, however, Botvinick focused on internal arguments against the DEI bias.
He quoted one question from the email for applicants: “How would you advocate for diversity and inclusion within your committee(s)?” Besides that, he wrote, the ASSU Commission openly stated “we are interested in applicants that demonstrate a history of serving their wider community, are guided by the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and can balance their convictions with those of the student body.”
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This is especially ridiculous since, Botvinick clarified, “the committees themselves have nothing to do with DEI.” These include Academic and Student Affairs, Land & Buildings, Finance, the Board on Conduct Affairs, and Engagement and Advancement of the Institution. Why on earth should race and sex be a focus for individuals handling finances and assessing violative student conduct?
Botvinick further called out the Nominations Commission for “affirmative action,” as its website says that it “strives to amplify the diverse perspectives and experiences within the student body, and it is committed to ensuring that inclusive and equitable representation is implemented across the institution.” In other words, it’s not about merit, but about arbitrary “representation.” Ironically, however, Botvinick argued, if the commission really wanted “equitable representation,” it wouldn’t push woke DEI, because the system is rigged against conservative applicants or anyone with beliefs that make them reluctant to commit specifically to DEI ideology.
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Ultimately, Botvinick concluded, the ASSU Commission has set up a system for appointing students to committees that is equivalent to a “tyranny of the majority,” as “applicants are evaluated based on their expressed allegiance to a narrow set of political views held by ASSU members, but certainly not by all Stanford students.” There’s no diversity of thought in such a system.
He closed out his letter by appealing to the Stanford authorities: “Thanks to the ASSU Nominations Commission’s political litmus test, you can rest assured that you will be working with students committed to upholding the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Whether they are interested in working hard to serve the entire Stanford community is another question entirely.” And DEI advocates probably will not be interested in serving the whole community.
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