Statement Regarding Anti-Bias Training
Read our latest statement regarding the recent executive order barring anti-bias training from our Director of Legislative Affairs, Matt Harvey:
On September 22nd, the Trump Administration issued an . This order mandates that institutions that receive federal funds are barred from holding anti-racism or anti-sexism training, which the Administration has perversely labelled as un-American propaganda. This executive order has already had some chilling impacts, including . This executive order is plainly an extension of the Administration's xenophobic marginalization of vulnerable communities, while the presence institutional racism and sexism in academia and in the workplace is uncomfortably clear in the United States.
Despite the vagueness of the order's language, ²ÊÃñ±¦µä as a recipient of federal grants is subject to this executive order. Although university leadership has signalled that the vagueness in the executive order's application allows the university to continue business as usual, we at GPSG note some concerning common language between the Executive Order and the office of President Kennedy mandating 'purple-ink protocol' in moderating statements on 'divisive concepts.' We at GPSG believe that addressing institutional racism and misogyny, including mandatory training, can help make our community a safer place for all of our Buffs. While we recognize that the university will not be complying with the executive order 'for now', GPSG call on the university to clearly state its commitment to continue anti-racism/anti-sexism trainings on campus (at a minimum), regardless of who wins the upcoming election and whether or not the executive order is enforced more strictly in the future.