Rocky Top Goes Woke

[Gandalf]

This should be obliterated from our midst. The people of TN do not want this in the land of the (still) free. That is why they sneak such things under the cover of darkness.

Rocky Top's DEI Agenda | City Journal

Though UTK had zero administrators dedicated to DEI at the beginning of 2018, it now has at least 26. Though the budget for DEI was zeroed out in 2018, raw salaries for DEI officials, a very conservative estimate of costs, exceeded $1.8 million in 2021. Just as striking as these personnel and budget numbers is the transformation of academic life. UTK revised its General Education curriculum to emphasize “service learning” and “global citizenship,” indicating that the school is weaving progressive political activism into the curriculum.

If this remains, my children will never attend a single class there, I swear it. You will be dead to me and but a memory of the past I once dreamed in a better time.

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

 

[ButchPlz]

Divide et Impera fits the DEI acronym better.

Also, I'm sure UT could use that money for more and better professors rather than cramming 800+ people in a room. They'll surely assert we always need more administration, though.

 

[Gandalf]

Divide et Impera fits the DEI acronym better.

Also, I'm sure UT could use that money for more and better professors rather than cramming 800+ people in a room. They'll surely assert we always need more administration, though.

That is exactly what it is intended to do and does.

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

Bold prediction... If Joe Biden or one of his party mates win in 2024 (outside of RFJ Jr. maybe)... Rocky Top will get cancelled by 2030.

And a distinct possibility "Volunteers" will get cancelled, also... just like the "Redskins" and the "Indians".

 

[OrangeTsar]

Tennessee legislature could put an end to this with a single bill. Takes some lessons from DeSantis and the Florida legislature. If I still lived in God’s chosen land of Tennessee I would be on the phone with my state Representative and Senator first thing Monday morning

 

[davethevol]

Divide et Impera fits the DEI acronym better.

Also, I'm sure UT could use that money for more and better professors rather than cramming 800+ people in a room. They'll surely assert we always need more administration, though.

UT (like many other universities) has been a breeding ground for leftist ideas. Several of the UT professors (that moved here from liberal parts of the country) have been hijacking Knox county school board meetings and also had a hand in the mask mandates for school children. They’re doing their best to take over.

 

[lawgator1]

UT (like many other universities) has been a breeding ground for leftist ideas. Several of the UT professors (that moved here from liberal parts of the country) have been hijacking Knox county school board meetings and also had a hand in the mask mandates for school children. They’re doing their best to take over.

Lol. Conspiracy!

 

[85SugarVol]

I thought the legislature passed something that stripped funding for this?

 

[Orangeburst]

I thought the legislature passed something that stripped funding for this?

good point

Tennessee law strips university diversity office funding

 

[EasternVol]

UT (like many other universities) has been a breeding ground for leftist ideas. Several of the UT professors (that moved here from liberal parts of the country) have been hijacking Knox county school board meetings and also had a hand in the mask mandates for school children. They’re doing their best to take over.

Those 'leftist' 'liberals' may be homegrown. And DEI and mask mandates are not inherently leftist or liberal.
That universities are breeding grounds for leftist ideas (if they are leftist, I guess you mean what passes for progressive these days) isn't necessarily bad. Universities are where people go to learn and be exposed to a range of ideas. We wouldn't want to live in a place where only government approved ideas are taught, would we?

 

[OrangeTsar]

Lol. Conspiracy!

No need to call it a conspiracy when it is happening in broad daylight. You Libs overuse that word almost as much as “racist” and “facist”. You folks really need some new material. You are getting rather stale and tedious and, dare I say, tiresome.

 

[Carl Pickens]

Bold prediction... If Joe Biden or one of his party mates win in 2024 (outside of RFJ Jr. maybe)... Rocky Top will get cancelled by 2030.

And a distinct possibility "Volunteers" will get cancelled, also... just like the "Redskins" and the "Indians".

This would get a lot of folks riled up

 

[Carl Pickens]

UT (like many other universities) has been a breeding ground for leftist ideas. Several of the UT professors (that moved here from liberal parts of the country) have been hijacking Knox county school board meetings and also had a hand in the mask mandates for school children. They’re doing their best to take over.

Leftist ideas typically come from those that have never worked in the private sector or those so wealthy they’re separated from reality

 

[OrangeTsar]

Those 'leftist' 'liberals' may be homegrown. And DEI and mask mandates are not inherently leftist or liberal.
That universities are breeding grounds for leftist ideas (if they are leftist, I guess you mean what passes for progressive these days) isn't necessarily bad. Universities are where people go to learn and be exposed to a range of ideas. We wouldn't want to live in a place where only government approved ideas are taught, would we?

The problem isn’t that leftist ideas are taught in universities. The problem is that other ideas AREN’T. You mention “wide range of ideas” as the goal. I heartily agree. So do you believe this is actually occurring? How many right wing professors do you think are teaching at UT? How many conservatives in the DEI direktorate?
The modern University for the most part is an idealogical monoculture with about as much academic diversity as you would have found at the height of Mao’s Cultural Revolution

 

[EasternVol]

The problem isn’t that leftist ideas are taught in universities. The problem is that other ideas AREN’T. You mention “wide range of ideas” as the goal. I heartily agree. So do you believe this is actually occurring? How many right wing professors do you think are teaching at UT? How many conservatives in the DEI direktorate?
The modern University for the most part is an idealogical monoculture with about as much academic diversity as you would have found at the height of Mao’s Cultural Revolution

Good point, variety and balance in viewpoints is very important.
I have no real idea what the ideological makeup of UT's faculty is today. If it's all radical wokesters with no centrists or conservatives then I'd say there's a problem. Somehow I doubt that that's the case.

 

[EasternVol]

Leftist ideas typically come from those that have never worked in the private sector or those so wealthy they’re separated from reality

Plenty of leftist ideas come from labor movements.

 

[OrangeTsar]

Good point, variety and balance in viewpoints is very important.
I have no real idea what the ideological makeup of UT's faculty is today. If it's all radical wokesters with no centrists or conservatives then I'd say there's a problem. Somehow I doubt that that's the case.

I do Not have the specific numbers for UT, but overall the numbers nationwide are staggering
Outnumbered: Academia’s Tilted Ideological Landscape — The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

 

[volbound1700]

Universities, for the most part, have been more favorably to leftist ideas for decades so this is no surprise.

In fact, a lot of the academic rankings such as US News Report even factor this in grading so Tennessee has to appeal to leftist crowd to be ranked high by US News and get AAU status.

 

[McDad]

Those 'leftist' 'liberals' may be homegrown. And DEI and mask mandates are not inherently leftist or liberal.
That universities are breeding grounds for leftist ideas (if they are leftist, I guess you mean what passes for progressive these days) isn't necessarily bad. Universities are where people go to learn and be exposed to a range of ideas. We wouldn't want to live in a place where only government approved ideas are taught, would we?

If Universities are where leftist/progressive ideas are born, are you assuming the government is not supporting those ideas via funding strings?

 

[85SugarVol]

Those 'leftist' 'liberals' may be homegrown. And DEI and mask mandates are not inherently leftist or liberal.
That universities are breeding grounds for leftist ideas (if they are leftist, I guess you mean what passes for progressive these days) isn't necessarily bad. Universities are where people go to learn and be exposed to a range of ideas. We wouldn't want to live in a place where only government approved ideas are taught, would we?

DEI is not “inherently leftist”?

 

[lawgator1]

No need to call it a conspiracy when it is happening in broad daylight. You Libs overuse that word almost as much as “racist” and “facist”. You folks really need some new material. You are getting rather stale and tedious and, dare I say, tiresome.

Universities have always had liberal bents to them, it's nothing new. But people suddenly referring to liberal professors or promotion of diversity as "taking over" UT is silly.

 

[Hunerwadel]

$1.8M is chump change. After administrative costs you might be able to hang a few posters and invite a couple speakers.

 

[EasternVol]

If Universities are where leftist/progressive ideas are born, are you assuming the government is not supporting those ideas via funding strings?

I'm not assuming anything regarding such funding. It may be happening. Where's a good source of information on 'funding of woke silliness in US universities'?

 

[EasternVol]

DEI is not “inherently leftist”?

Right.