The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced Monday that it will no longer require a diversity statement from prospective faculty members.
The school said the decision was made at the direction of Provost Sally Kornbluth “with the support of the provost, provost, vice provost for equity and inclusion, and all six deans.”
“My goal is to maximize human talent, bring the best talent to MIT, and ensure they thrive here,” Kornbluth said in a statement.
“We can create an inclusive environment in many ways, but forced speech violates freedom of expression and will not work.”
The decision comes as faculty diversity statements have long been criticized by conservatives as a test of ideological viewpoints on new professors. This statement is used by many of the nation’s top universities, and MIT could start a trend.
MIT has been in the spotlight since last December, when Kornbluth, along with former presidents of Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania, testified about anti-Semitism on campus. Kornbluth was the only one to continue working after the hearing.
Supporters of diversity statements argue that it is important to ensure that faculty are in touch with all the students they interact with.
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