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FGCU responds to DeSantis inquiry about DEI and CRT

WGCU | By Cary Barbor
Published January 20, 2023 at 1:12 PM EST
FGCU President Dr. Mike Martin
courtesy FGCU
FGCU President Dr. Mike Martin

FGCU President Mike Martin sent a university-wide email on Thursday, January 19, stating that FGCU would continue to comply with the Florida Board of Governors’ recommendations regarding diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. This was in response to a memo from Gov. DeSantis’s Director for Policy and Budget Chris Spencer on Dec. 28. The memo stated that each institution in the Florida university system must report any activity related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and critical race theory to his office by January 13, 2023. Institutions were required to detail descriptions of the programs or activities; associated positions, whether full- or part-time; total funding spent to support the initiative; and the percentage of the amount that is state-funded.

FGCU’s President Martin stated that it was not clear what brought about the requests or what purpose the university’s reports would serve.

He went on to say that in its report, FGCU emphasized that its DEI initiatives are consistent with the recommendations made by the Florida Board of Governors. Among them, on November 5, 2020, the Board of Governors issued a statement that “expresses a clear commitment to prioritize and support DEI in the State University System.”

Martin affirmed that FGCU will continue to embrace and subscribe to the Board of Governors’ directives.

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Cary Barbor
czahaby@wgcu.org
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