Decision follows campuswide decision to eliminate DEI
Purdue University no longer advertises a “diversity and inclusion certificate in veterinary medicine,” following a decision by the school to end its DEI initiatives.
The College Fix began asking the public university in Indiana about its certificate program in late May. However, sometime in June the webpage went down and it now just directs to the main site for the veterinary medicine program.
The removal appears to coincide with the school closing its DEI offices and other initiatives, following an executive order from Governor Mike Braun and similar directives from the Trump administration.
An archived page shows participants could pay between $100 to $300 for the certificate class.
“From the historical perspective to contemporary challenges, these topics provide insight into the multifaceted nature of diversity, equipping you with the knowledge to foster a more inclusive environment,” the website stated.
Potential topics included “The Case for Diversity in Veterinary Medicine,” “Stereotype Threat,” and “The LGBTQ+ Community.”
“Practicing members of the Veterinary Medical profession, such as Veterinarians, Veterinary Technicians/Nurses, & Interns and Residents will gain insights to promote diversity and inclusion in their workplace and understanding for interacting with diverse clients,” the program promised.
It counts for nine continuing education credits, and has been popular with not just Purdue, but also Michigan State University, University of Illinois, and Iowa State University according to a graph on the program’s website.
The Fix contacted multiple Purdue representatives in the past two weeks, but no one responded. The Fix emailed and called Dean Bret Marsh and asked for confirmation the certificate had been eliminated and if it was due to the rollback of DEI initiatives campuswide.
Chief campus spokeswoman Erin Murphy also did not respond to similar questions in the past two weeks.
However, the senior contributing editor for the Legal Insurrection Foundation questioned the benefits of DEI in an email to The Fix. Kemberlee Kaye, along with William Jacobson of the Legal Insurrection Foundation, previously found most of the top veterinary schools push critical race theory and DEI.
Kaye said it is “troubling” when schools push DEI, and says she and her team are “puzzled” by its proliferation.
“Nothing about DEI will enhance medical care,” Kaye said further.
Kaye says that while the color of someone’s skin should have no bearing on medical care, that is the direction US medical schools have taken. Despite the new administration and recent pushback, Kaye believes DEI is “more prevalent at every level of education, including medical schools, than they were even a few years ago.” Because of this, she believes it won’t disappear without a fight.
Ian Kingsbury, the director of research at Do No Harm, shared similar thoughts.
He said “medical schools have simply renamed their DEI office but continue to engage in the same activities” in response to Trump’s anti-DEI executive orders.
He said one “alarming signal” is that admissions standards continue to differ based on race.
“There’s a lot more work to be done to get DEI out of medicine.”
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IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: A black couple takes care of their dog; Andres Ayrton/Pexels