The Idaho State Board of Education discusses diversity, equity and inclusion

The Idaho State Board of Education met Thursday evening to discuss draft resolutions on “Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Institutional Governance and Freedom of Expression” on Idaho’s four-year campuses.

“For several years we have heard concerns from legislators and from people in the communities they represent about the issues addressed in these draft resolutions,” said Board President Dr. Linda Clark. “These concerns are being raised not only in Idaho, but in many states across the country. We will work with our institutions to gather input and the board will make a decision during a future board meeting.”

The DEI resolution under discussion simply reaffirms the Idaho Code, which prohibits diversity statements in hiring and admissions decisions, and confirms that the Idaho Institutional Accreditor will not require specific structures related to DEI at any of Idaho’s public post-secondary institutions.

The resolution sets out the following guidelines: “Institutions must establish and maintain equal opportunities for all students, regardless of personal identity characteristics. Institutions must ensure that no central offices, policies, procedures, or initiatives are dedicated to DEI activities. Institutions must ensure student success.” Centers are dedicated to all students and institutions must ensure that no staff member or student is required to identify their gender identity or preferred pronouns.

The draft governance resolution affirms that the board can review the power of all presidents of Idaho’s four-year institutions. It also stipulates that schools are required to carry out regular reviews of permanent teachers in accordance with board guidelines.

The final resolution discussed at Thursday’s board meeting is the draft resolution on freedom of speech, which will ultimately ensure that universities in Idaho maintain their neutrality and maintain protected speech on campus.

The board also approved a new rule that will require high school students to take a digital literacy course starting in 2028, as well as a $163 million request from the University of Idaho to improve student housing.