According to an expert in training, DEI does not have a spiritual component.
Despite President Donald Trump’s subsequent get aimed at DEI, Viterbo University in Wisconsin cited its Catholic personality to double down on its “diversity, capital, and addition” policies.
The school’s commitment to DEI is in conflict with federal legislation, according to two experts in higher education who have spoken to The College Fix.
The President of Viterbo University recently stated in an email sent to The Fix that “viterbo will continue to be a place where people of all backgrounds, ideas, and activities are welcomed and respected.”
” New guidelines continue to raise questions about addition, equity, and diversity. The goal of Viterbo University is never influenced by political shifts, according to President Trietley, as a Catholic, Franciscan institution.
Trietley added that” Our Catholic Identity and Mission call us to preserve the integrity of every person, fight for justice and serenity, and foster a sense of belonging… This responsibility is not about any one program or plan; it reflects who we are as a Catholic, Franciscan school.”
He cited Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II as saying that they supported these laws. Pope Francis reminds us that” God calls on Christians to accept everything that precludes or rejects people,” he said.
Trietley wrote another email earlier this year advising the scholar figure that “uncertainty exists for students and employees” due to the Trump administration’s immigration laws.
If a “forgotten national from outside law enforcement” approaches students seeking access to facilities or student records, he advises them to” email Campus Safety &, Security.”
Additionally, he claimed that the university does not monitor the emigration position of its students.
According to the school’s La website, “it provides opportunities for undergraduate variety, student voices, belonging, and activity while providing programming and support for education and knowing.”
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, senior fellow Jonathan Butcher, told The College Fix via email that” DE I does not have a religious component.”
In reality, the fundamental idea behind La is grounded in critical race theory, which opposes conventional theories that stress purpose and individual value, Butcher said.
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He claimed that DEI’s programs, which include cultural preferences for college admissions, violate civil rights laws. He further stated that it “promotes for equitable outcomes regardless of our options or choices.”
DEI mandates that the state adjust the justice system so that some people get more than they have earned, while others only get less. According to Butcher, it is “discriminatory by definition.”
The Fix repeatedly contacted President Trietley and the vice president and consultant for DEI over the past month to ask about possible policy changes in response to Trump’s professional actions, or how the school intends to align its mentioned values with federal laws.
Beyond ideological concerns, Renu Mukherjee, a fellow Manhattan Institute fellow, wrote in an email to The Fix to state that the school must abide by the law because it receives federal funding.
According to the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions, she argued that discrimination against students based on race or ethnicity is against the law.
Further, one of Trump’s most recent executive orders aims to end all federal government DEI practices.
According to Mukherjee,” Guidance released by the Department of Justice and Department of Education also enforces this ruling and the principles of colorblindness and equal opportunity expressed there.”
She claimed that while complying with the law, President Trietley can continue to create a welcoming, hospitable, and supportive environment in line with the Catholic identity and mission.
” All that clearly sows division is if Viterbo’s DEI programs discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity in any way, propagate the idea that racial minorities are oppressed in the U.S. while white Americans are oppressors are oppressed in any way, seeks equalization outcomes among various groups in any way, etc.,” Mukherjee said.
She claimed that efforts like these and the ideologies that support them “pit various groups against one another, as opposed to bringing students together in shared understanding.”
The College Fix previously reported that the university established a new scholarship program specifically for female medical students last year.
Additionally, the Viterbo communications department instructed employees to substitute “all” genders for “both” genders in 2022.
MORE: Nun who discussed” cutting” a pro-life organization has” support” of Viterbo
IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: The Viterbo University logo appears over the school, according to Viterbo University/Youtube.
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