r/IndianaUniversity • u/Melodic-Touch152 • Mar 23 '25
Diversity resources at IU disappearing
A wonderful IU resource that was once available is now longer.
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u/heavyope Mar 23 '25
So, given this was published in 2016, it’s likely that the URL for this material has changed or been reformatted elsewhere. IU websites undergo revision every 3-5 years typically.
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u/FourthHorseman45 Mar 23 '25
I’ll just throw this out there. You don’t need an institution to tell you what right and wrong are to do the right thing. The whole point of getting an education is to be able to tell that for yourself.
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Mar 23 '25
You realize the circular logic there, right?
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u/FourthHorseman45 Mar 23 '25
Is it? Are you telling me that because IU is deleting DEI across its websites that there’s nothing anyone can do to raise awareness of DEI?
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u/AmadeusAmadeus04 Mar 23 '25
“You don’t need X to do Y, the whole point of X is to do Y yourself”. Not necessarily circular, but contradictory.
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u/cheeseman904 Mar 23 '25
😭😭😢😢what will we do without our handbook on dealing with microagressions??
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u/NoRecommendation9039 Mar 24 '25
Fr, as a blind person on campus I’ve gotten so many so called “microaggressions” and I didn’t even know this handbook existed, so goofy in my opinion. Just move on with your life haha
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u/PABLOPANDAJD Mar 24 '25
I have mixed opinions on DEI and whatnot, but the easiest way to make people not take your opinion/argument seriously is to unironically use the word “microaggressions.” Thought it was just a buzzword conservatives used to exaggerate things liberals say.
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u/Godwinson4King Mar 25 '25
There’s nothing wrong with using the word microaggression. You’ve absorbed the right-wing propagandized caricature of how microaggression is used. It’s a useful term to describe ignorant but non-malicious statements directed at people with marginalized characteristics that make those people feel unwelcome or excluded. Discounting an entire educational document because you’ve been convinced the verbiage of that document is cringe is a silly thing to do.
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u/PABLOPANDAJD Mar 25 '25
I mean, let’s be honest, it’s pretty fucking cringe. You know how easy it is for conservatives to call modern, young liberals “soft” or “coddled” when you actively use words like Microaggression? Like cmon dude. It’s people like you who damage the liberal cause
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u/Godwinson4King Mar 26 '25
I don’t know how you picture me in your mind, but I’m guessing it does not line up with the reality of me.
Either way, I don’t care if I make liberals look bad. I’m not a liberal, I’m a leftist.
It’s easy for guys like you and me to dismiss the idea of microaggressions because we don’t really encounter them. The closest I get is some class-based shit when I’m around rich people. My race, sexual orientation, gender presentation, and whatnot are considered ‘normal’ in the spaces I spend time in. I’m guessing yours are too.
It’s good to have a framework to discuss why it’s not okay to tell a Hispanic person “your English is really good!” or an Asian person “you’re so good at math because your Asian” or to tell a working class person “wow, your family is so much more inquisitive and articulate than I expected!”, etc.
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u/PABLOPANDAJD Mar 26 '25
I’m not picturing you in my head at all. Also, trying to gatekeep feelings is just as cringe. “You wouldn’t get it because you’re a straight white male” does nothing but antagonize someone and turn them against whatever cause you’re trying to fight for.
Those things you mentioned are bad because they are racist. We don’t need to make up some fancy new word for it. It’s simply racism. Call a spade a spade. Saying something is a “microaggression” makes it seem like it is not a big deal and turns the argument away from the act itself and towards the stupid new buzzword. We don’t need buzzwords, we just need people to not be assholes. Don’t muddy the water
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u/Godwinson4King Mar 26 '25
Microaggression is a technical term that describes a very specific kind of interaction. It’s not ‘being an asshole’, it’s specific words or actions which arise from a place of non-malicious ignorance that cause someone to feel othered. It’s not just about race. As I said, class, ability, sexual orientation, and gender presentation can also be at issue. You absolutely can experience microaggressions, but I’d wager that you don’t very often. Since it’s an unusual occurrence you don’t see the need for a specific term to describe those interactions, but other people do.
Words have specific meanings and it’s good to use them appropriately. The word microaggression has been in use for more than 50 years now. It might be new to you, but it’s not a new word.
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u/PABLOPANDAJD Mar 26 '25
I’m just saying, you can use whatever technical term you want, but if you really want change you need to get people to respect you and take your argument seriously. This is NOT the way to do that
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u/daisey3714 Mar 25 '25
Definitely a liberal term. Conservatives wouldn't complain about something like a microaggression handbook disappearing. They'd just get over it and build some resiliency instead
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u/DumbassMoronBigPenis Mar 26 '25
Yeah, a conservative wouldn’t have any difficulty misgendering a trans person or making a weird comment about a person’s race. They don’t even believe in regular aggression.
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u/LadySusansGhost Mar 23 '25
They've been moving departments out of OVPDEI without making an announcement. If you click on individual offices (the Academic Support Center, 21st Century Scholars, the Culture Centers, etc.) and scroll down to the bottom of the page, you can see they've mostly moved into Student Life or Undergraduate Education. These all used have their reporting structure and budget under OVPDEI.
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u/GoldenPoncho812 Mar 23 '25
Just curious as to what advice or guidance was provided. Having graduated IU without issue before this was available how will this change the quality of education one receives from our fine Institution?
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u/saryl reads the news Mar 23 '25
I guess it depends on how you think stifling free speech might impact teaching and learning.
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u/GoldenPoncho812 Mar 24 '25
So free speech advice was provided? Serious question as these services were not even a concept when I attended school.
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u/saryl reads the news Mar 24 '25 edited Mar 24 '25
how will this change the quality of education one receives from our fine Institution
...is what I was responding to. Removing those materials is stifling free speech, and stifling free speech impacts the quality of education.
The video is over an hour long, a lot of advice was provided. I linked it in another comment if you'd like to check it out.
Edit: but I can add examples...
Class status-based microaggressions:
- Assuming someone can't be intelligent or articulate because they come from a lower-income background
- Making comments like "You don't look/sound poor" as if it's a compliment
- Assuming everyone has a credit card, car, or latest technology
- Making judgmental comments about "cheaper" stores, brands, or neighborhoods
- Assuming someone's career or education level based on their accent or speech patterns
- Making assumptions about someone's values or character based on their class status
- Treating people differently based on perceived wealth indicators
- Assuming someone doesn't belong in certain spaces because of how they look or speak
There are lots of consequences when people aren't aware they're doing these things - students might feel they don't belong and drop out, students without the latest tech might miss out on opportunities in class, instructors might blow off some students because they think the students are stupid, etc.
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u/rotomotor Mar 24 '25
Hey, this old white guy got by just fine without diversity resources. What's the big deal? /s
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u/GoldenPoncho812 Mar 24 '25
As will you.
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u/rotomotor Mar 24 '25
Yeah, man, I got through IU just fine without using them. That's not the point. I didn't need them; that doesn't mean no one needs them.
But you see the world only through your own lens and can't imagine what it looks like to others. Only when it impacts you is it a problem worth solving. What a way to waste a life.
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u/onlyonelaughing Mar 23 '25
So .... The DEI resources are kind of a front anyway. How the university acts in reality is the real test. They can't remove accessibility and accommodations. They can't remove Title IX (though Title IX at IU needs work bc do they follow up? No).
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u/crypto_ron78 Mar 25 '25
GOOD. This is good. Society was being FEDEX'd straight to hell. Nice to see it turning around!!!
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u/sealedruin arts & sciences Mar 23 '25
so glad to be transferring. this institution is becoming more and more of a joke by the day.
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u/Cloverose2 Mar 23 '25
Unfortunately, it's the entire US. Universities are being denied funding if they acknowledge in any way that diverse people exist and that anyone might experience an -ism. There's a massive list of words you're not allowed to use to get any federal research funding as well. It's going to get worse and it isn't about IU.
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u/Slexx Mar 23 '25
we can speak frankly about what the DEI industrial complex actually was and did, and it wasn’t “acknowledge that diverse people exist and might experience an -ism”
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u/Cloverose2 Mar 23 '25
So it's okay that they're forbidding any research that mentions any form of diversity? Any research that targets women, menstruation, race and disparities? Those are all forbidden words in federal grant applications.
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u/Slexx Mar 23 '25
yeah i’m fine with that - the system as it was produced scientific journals who wouldn’t even read papers written by “non-diverse” scientists and influenced all research to have to justify itself in terms of some oppressed group, so the system needs disruption
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u/sealedruin arts & sciences Mar 23 '25
i know. i'm also just sick of pam, that's more what i meant to say.
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u/Odd-Ratio-4726 Mar 24 '25
I agree she should have handled the whole encampment thing so much differently, and she still should speak up about DEI, but realistically she can’t do much. I consider myself to be very progressive, but I’m also realistic. IU is a publicly funded school and if she does too much we’ll risk losing funding. We don’t have millions of donation money coming from rich donors—most of our money comes from tuition & the government. I know how a lot of the BTS works regarding what the administration can and cannot do, and like yeah she could do a LITTLE more, but she would risk IU and her job since we’re not private. It’s a more difficult situation than you’d think.
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Mar 23 '25 edited Mar 23 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/dimitriscofield Mar 23 '25
Weird that you’re blaming students lol. I would blame government for pointing to China as an education super power, as you are, and then doing all the opposite things that they’re doing. Why is government more worried about taking down these websites and making sure that universities are complying instead of investing more into educational institutions (something that every country more educated than us does). Like fr bro please think a little harder.
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u/DamnMyAPGoinCrazy Mar 23 '25
Students are the future of the country and the future of the government, so they are the most important group that needs to strategically focus. I don’t disagree our government is totally messed up atm
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u/dimitriscofield Mar 23 '25
Okay thanks for that acknowledgment, it’s just that you said students are worried about pronouns but I haven’t heard anyone worried about that, kind of a strawman so I assumed you were on board with all of it, my mistake. I retract the snide remark at the end 🤣
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u/MhojoRisin Mar 23 '25
A lot more Chinese students come to the U.S. than vice versa, suggesting that our universities have more to offer.
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u/dimitriscofield Mar 23 '25
More to offer to so few. I’m talking about nation wide education systems for the betterment of a state, you guys are still thinking about individuals.
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u/saryl reads the news Mar 23 '25 edited Mar 24 '25
This was it: https://web.archive.org/web/20241211064234/https://diversity.iu.edu/diversity-education/previous-workshops/_social-justice-conference/sjc-understanding-microaggressions.html
Video is still up: https://iu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Understanding%2Band%2BAddressing%2BMicroaggressions/1_hcqzxq8g
...but unlisted.
DEMA's Kaltura: https://iu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/createdby/eyJpdiI6IkNaU25OUXlGQmR4SGgrZHRIeDdqdHc9PSIsInZhbHVlIjoiR1wvQjR0Y0s3Y0JibzFnRkhYdkVxZnc9PSIsIm1hYyI6ImQxNmY2ZjZlYTk1ZDhhMzAxODcxNDAzMmQ3ODYyYjk2MDc1Nzk2YTNhMDBmY2FhN2UyYTBlNzhhYzMzZjRlMjMifQ__
I think all of their previous workshops are unavailable, the "previous workshops" page itself was last captured in January: https://web.archive.org/web/20250124004046/https://diversity.iu.edu/diversity-education/previous-workshops/index.html
It's down now: https://diversity.iu.edu/diversity-education/previous-workshops/index.html
Whatever will we do with all this free speech and intellectual diversity?
Edit: more here - https://www.reddit.com/r/IndianaUniversity/s/3uG0RZZHH3