University of Washington: Proposal to Require Tenure and Promotion Candidates to Write Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statements

In March 2022, the University of Washington’s Faculty Council on Race, Equity, and Justice submitted to the faculty senate a proposed amendment to the faculty code that would require tenure and promotion candidates to “reflect on past and planned contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the self-assessment of their qualifications for tenure or promotion.” The faculty senate approved the amendment, sending it to the full faculty for a vote. In a May 24 letter to UW, FIRE called on the university to reject the proposal because it threatened the academic freedom of faculty holding dissenting views on DEI-related issues. Faculty voting concluded on June 6, and the amendment failed to pass.