The University of California System has announced it will no longer require a forced diversity statement for new hires.
A letter from Katherine S. Newman, the Provost of the 10 campus system, told top university officials the Board of Regents “has directed President Drake to take action to ensure that diversity statements are no longer required for new recruitments.”
The Board of Regents, concerned that forcing diversity statements could “lead applicants to focus on an aspect of their candidacy that is outside their expertise or prior experience“ determined the announcement was necessary.
Newman explained, “some programs, departments, and recruitments have required diversity statements as part of hiring processes despite the fact that the University of California has never maintained such a systemwide policy.”
The letter concluded, “To be clear, stand-alone diversity statements will no longer be permitted in recruitments. However, consistent with federal and state law, the University should, and will, continue to provide due recognition to prospective or current employees who wish to share how they have contributed to inclusive excellence.”
“The Regents reinforced the importance of the University’s policies and practices in place designed to ensure that access to the University is both possible and welcome for talented students, staff, and faculty from all groups.”
The announcement follows President Trump’s Executive Order Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing signed on January 20, 2025.
Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow John Sailer shared Newman’s letter on X.
HUGE NEWS: The University of California Board of Regents just ended the use diversity statements in faculty hiring throughout the system.
“To be clear, stand-alone diversity statements will no longer be permitted in recruitments,” the system’s provost said in a letter today. pic.twitter.com/zqKaHUZSqt
— John Sailer (@JohnDSailer) March 20, 2025
Sailer notes the importance of this decision by the UC system because it “pioneered the practice of assessing diversity statement before a scholars dossier.”
This is truly earth-shattering. The UC system is where this (now hugely controversial) policy got started.
It pioneered the practice of assessing diversity statement before a scholars dossier.
Colleges around the country have copied its evaluation rubric verbatim (see ). pic.twitter.com/Hijb3826P1
— John Sailer (@JohnDSailer) March 20, 2025
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