Cal Poly Humboldt under investigation for alleged DEI based discrimination

• The U.S Department of Education launched investigations into alleged race-based discrimination including CPH
• The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a letter on Feb.14 threatening to cut federal funding for schools that supported DEI programs
• On March 25 CPH interim president Micheal Spagna issued an email in response to the launched investigation stating that the university is working closely with the CSU system to address allegations and that they will fully cooperate with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights during their investigation

On March 14, The U.S Department of Education launched investigations into alleged race-based discrimination at three California universities and 49 other colleges nationwide including Cal Poly Humboldt. 

“Dear Colleague” letter 

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a letter on Feb.14 threatening to cut federal funding for schools that supported Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs and efforts. The letter did not state which specific federal funds for schools and colleges are at risk.

The letter states, “The Department will no longer tolerate the overt and covert racial discrimination that has become widespread in this Nation’s educational institutions. The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent.”

The OCR stated in the letter that American educational institutions have discriminated against students on the basis of race, specifically targeting white and Asian students. The letter listed examples of alleged race based discrimination on campuses which include factors in admissions, financial aid, hiring, training, institutional programming, graduation ceremonies, dormitories and other facilities. 

University’s response

On March 25, Cal Poly Humboldt’s interim president Micheal Spagna issued an email in response to the launched investigation. The email recognizes two recent incidents of alleged violations of Title VI, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. These include The U.S. OCR’s investigation into CPH as well as a federal complaint filed by the Brandeis Center, a non profit Jewish civil rights group, for discrimination against Jewish students on campus. 

In the email Spagna states, “We take these allegations seriously, and we want to assure you that we are working closely with the California State University (CSU) system to address them. We will also fully cooperate with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights during their investigation. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, the CSU provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. All university programs and activities are open to all.”

ODEI and CRGS perspectives 

The following quotes are from before the OCR investigation was launched. As of now there are no new updates on the investigation. Quotes from Rosamel S. Benavides-Garb were stated on March 12. Quotes from Roberto Monico were stated on March 13. 

The Office for Diversity Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) on campus works to engage and support students from diverse spectrums. Rosamel S. Benavides-Garb, the associate vice president of ODEI and campus diversity officer, shared that ODEI and the university are actively engaging in conversations in response to the current presidential administration but no specific plans are in place. 

“We are not a federally funded office, we are state funded as a public university, so we are not related to that particular narrative that DEI is bad or has been criminalized. There are reasons for why DEI has been criminalized by the current [presidential] administration,” Benavides-Garb said. “So no, we have not been impacted or made modifications, we are concerned though, we are concerned about what is going on nationally, what is going on with the actual work of supporting our communities across the nation.”

Benavides-Garb recognizes the importance of Proposition 209 in California during discussions about DEI in schools. In 1996, Proposition 209 amended the state constitution to prohibit state governmental institutions from considering race, sex or ethnicity in hiring, admissions or contracting. 

“For nearly 30 years, California and the CSU system has not discriminated because the law does not allow for that. So when the new administration tells that the DEI discriminates, we know we don’t. We have been consistently and institutionally, been a non discriminating public system,” Benavides-Garb said. 

Earlier this year, President Donald J. Trump ordered U.S. schools to prohibit teaching what he believes as “critical race theory” and other curriculum that discusses race and sexuality, at the risk of schools losing their federal funding. Roberto Monico, a professor in the Critical Race, Gender and Sexuality studies department (CRGS) that teaches courses concentrated in ethnic studies, shared that there are ongoing conversations with the university amidst the presidential administration’s orders. 

“We are keeping up to date with what the [presidential] administration is trying to do, it’s just a lot of divide and conquer,” Monico said. “I feel confident that a lot of my colleagues are going to speak up and support us.”

Monico believes courses in CRGS are critical for highlighting diverse narratives and that historically, people in power have attempted to silence them.

“We’ve been here before. For a lot of young people they’ve never experienced this before, so it makes them quite nervous. These are the things we talk about in our courses, at least in my classes, to give them inspiration and hope that we can work together,” Monico said.  

In addition, Benavides-Garb strongly believes that the function of ODEI on campus is valuable and necessary to support the communities of our campus and nation.
“We have a deep sense of duty and responsibility,” Benavides-Garb said. “I know these are difficult times but actually these times confirm more than ever, our purpose.”