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Tuesday 18 april 2023
GOP states targeting diversity, equity efforts in higher ed

Continued from Front seem uncontentious. High-
er education institutions,
The measures have be- along with many business-
come the latest flashpoint es, have devoted resourc-
in a cultural battle involving es to inclusivity for years.
race, ethnicity and gender “DEI is woven into the fabric
that has been amplified of good universities,” said
by prominent Republicans, Karma Chavez, chair of the
including former President Department of Mexican
Donald Trump and Florida American and Latina/o
Gov. Ron DeSantis, poten- Studies and co-chair of
tial rivals for the GOP presi- the College of Liberal Arts
dential nomination in 2024. diversity committee at the
Many of the proposals University of Texas.
root in one of a half-dozen Campus DEI offices often
conservative or libertarian spearhead services tai-
organizations offering rec- lored to students of vari-
ommendations for limiting ous races, genders, sexual
consideration of diversity, orientations, cultures and
equity and inclusion in em- abilities. Some college ad-
ployment decisions, train- ministrators also consider
ing and student admissions. diversity and equity when
Some measures mirror the Students from the University of Missouri School of Medicine pose for a group photo in a Senate admitting students, provid-
committee room in the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City, Mo., after testifying against legislation on
model bills nearly exactly. March 28, 2023. ing scholarships or deciding
Others copy key definitions Associated Press which faculty to hire and
or phrases while adapting promote. Applicants may
the concepts to their par- society. Christopher Rufo, WOKE” law, which DeSantis tion. He also appointed be asked not only for re-
ticular states. who now is a senior fellow signed last year, is among Rufo and other conserva- sumes and references, but
“There’s a tremendous ap- at the Manhattan Institute, the most prominent mea- tives to the New College of also for statements about
petite on the right to deal helped propel conserva- sures. It bars businesses, Florida’s oversight board, how they would advance
with this issue,” said Joe tive outrage in 2020 against colleges and K-12 schools which then abolished the DEI efforts.
Cohn, legislative and policy what he has described as from giving training on cer- liberal arts college’s office During a recent Missouri
director for the Foundation critical-race-theory con- tain racial concepts, such that handles diversity, equi- House debate, Republican
for Individual Rights and Ex- cepts infiltrating govern- as the theory that people ty and inclusion programs. Rep. Doug Richey put forth
pression, which in February ments and educational in- of a particular race are in- “DeSantis has been so vo- a series of budget amend-
added its own model bill stitutions. herently racist, privileged cal about the changes he ments prohibiting state
to the swelling ranks of pro- Trump responded by issu- or oppressed. Courts have wants to make in universi- funding for DEI initiatives in
posals. ing an order in September currently blocked the law’s ties that it has probably government agencies and
The bills are an outgrowth 2020 banning training in- enforcement in colleges, spurred activity in other higher education. He as-
of recent Republican at- volving “divisive concepts” universities and businesses. states,” said Jenna Robin- serted the offices espouse
tempts to limit critical race about race for government DeSantis has continued son, president of the James “racist policies” and “Marx-
theory, a viewpoint that employees and contrac- to press the issue. He pro- G. Martin Center for Aca- ist ideology that is trying to
racism is historically sys- tors. Similar wording began posed legislation this year demic Renewal, a conser- strip away from us the con-
temic in the nation’s insti- cropping up in state-level to ban diversity, equity vative nonprofit based in cepts of the nuclear family,
tutions and continues to- legislation the following and inclusion offices as Raleigh, North Carolina. of merit, of character and
day to maintain the domi- year. part of a broader agenda On their face, diversity, of being judged by what
nance of white people in Florida’s so-called “Stop to reshape higher educa- equity and inclusion may you are capable of.” q

Calling the IRS? Hold times are way down this tax season

By FATIMA HUSSEIN dramatic turnaround for over the next 10 years to
Associated Press the 2023 tax season from a help the federal tax collec-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tax- year ago, when the agen- tor become faster, more
payers who called the IRS cy scored its worst custom- tech-savvy and provide
had an average wait time er service marks on record. “real-world improvements”
of four minutes this tax IRS employees this tax sea- to taxpayers.
season compared to 27 son have answered 2 mil- “We’re trying to improve
minutes a year earlier, the lion more calls, and served services dramatically,” said
agency said Monday. 100,000 more taxpayers Wally Adeyemo, Treasury’s
Ahead of the tax filing in-person, it reported. The deputy secretary at an Ur-
deadline on Tuesday, the agency also digitized 80 ban Institute event on Mon-
IRS is promoting its improved times more paper forms day. At the same event,
customer service and giv- than in 2022 and cleared former IRS Commissioner
ing credit to a big boost the backlog of unpro- Charles Rossotti was more
in funding provided by the cessed 2022 individual tax critical of the IRS spending
Inflation Reduction Act that returns. New IRS Commis- plan. “There’s an under al-
Democrats pushed through sioner Daniel Werfel, sworn location for technology,”
The Internal Revenue Service 1040 tax form for 2022 is Congress last year. in earlier this month, prom- he said. “They need to
photographed, Monday, April 17, 2023. The federal tax collector ised that to use the new spend a lot more time on a
Associated Press on Monday reported a $80 billion infusion of cash compliance strategy.”q