The University of Florida has eliminated positions affiliated with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and closed its office devoted to diversity, according to an administrative memo, in the latest example of the state’s efforts to eliminate DEI initiatives from public institutions.
The university has closed its Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, “eliminated DEI positions and administrative appointments, and halted DEI-focused contracts with outside vendors.”
The memo cites a state Board of Governors regulation that prohibits public universities in the state from expending state or federal funds to maintain programs that “advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion,” which the statute defines as activity that promotes “differential or preferential treatment” on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity or sexual orientation.
University Director of Public Affairs Cynthia Roldan told Forbes that the university cut 13 full-time positions and ended 15 administrative appointments among faculty members.
The university also announced that the Office of the Chief Financial Officer will reallocate roughly $5 million in funds previously earmarked for DEI expenses into a “faculty recruitment fund to be administered by the Office of the Provost.”
Eliminated employees will receive a standard 12-weeks pay and are encouraged to apply for open positions at the university before April 19 to receive “expedited consideration.”
The university said it remains “unwavering in our commitment to universal human dignity.”
“Florida is where DEI goes to die,” Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote on X. DeSantis, who has backed several efforts to end DEI across the state, celebrated the decision in another post, writing: “I’m glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit.”
Florida, led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, has been at the forefront of a conservative movement to push back against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at workplaces, public schools and universities. Proponents argue that DEI initiatives are important to correcting historic inequities that have hindered marginalized groups and aim to make workplaces more inclusive. But there’s been a growing movement targeting those initiatives, with critics claiming those efforts are racist and create preferential treatment for those groups. The Florida Board of Governors regulation aimed to bring the state’s university system in line with legislation signed by DeSantis in 2023 defunding DEI initiatives at public universities. Other Florida schools have eliminated DEI positions in response, but have transferred staff to other positions.
60,795. That’s the total enrollment at the University of Florida, per a dashboard updated as recently as December 2023.
