Administrators say college will still work to make students feel welcomed
BY: LINDSEY UNNERSTALL
Staff Writer
Gov. Mike Kehoe’s new Executive Order banning the use of state funds for DEI and Missouri public agencies from considering DEI in their policies is already taking effect at STLCC.
Kehoe’s Executive Order was signed on Feb. 18 and aims to eliminate funding for any public state agencies’ DEI positions and policies. This will affect all Missouri public colleges and universities, including all STLCC campuses.
So far, the college has already removed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion information from its website and is in the process of switching Chief Engagement Officer D’Andre Braddix’s role and job title.
“Under the Chief Engagement Officer, the role entailed furthering the college’s mission, vision and values through strategic engagement, so that was both internally here at the college and externally in terms of community engagement,” Braddix said.
“I will now be the ‘on buds’ person, supporting students, faculty and staff through academic affairs, helping to foster engagement within students and faculty within their schools,” Braddix said. “While in my Chief Engagement role, I’d have a connection to diversity, equity, inclusion in terms of who is not being engaged right now, whose needs we are not meeting. With this new role I’m not really focusing on those areas; I’m looking at how to build community within the college.”
According to Chancellor Jeff Pittman, many of the changes on campus following the governor’s executive order will be regarding verbal policies, grammar and removing what is considered “DEI language” from the school’s website and formal policies.
“We’re an open access institution; all students are welcome here. Our values are to provide an educational pathway for anyone that wants it. In that regard, we’re lucky because our mission provides all those opportunities for students regardless,” Pittman said.
Robert Lee, dean of the South County campus, is part of the response team tasked with determining what is considered DEI and how to properly address situations regarding the executive order. He suggested that there will be changes in the wording of class course descriptions and learning outcomes to comply with the order, however, course curriculums will not be changing at this time.
“As a publicly funded institution, if we are required by the state government to change the policy, we will. [However], Dr Pittman was very clear that a verbal change doesn’t change the fundamental mission of what we do or who we are,” Lee said. “We believe in being an open door institution.”
First year Meramec student Jamorah Triplett said he feels a lot of emotion regarding the Executive Order’s possible effects on campus.
“Hearing about it kind of made my heart drop,” Triplett said. “It’s weird because it’s a place that’s open for everybody, and with me being a minority it is kind of scary. To hear that the college that I’m going to, with such a diverse group of people, is changing these policies is kind of sad.”
Philosophy Professor Danielle Walker feels similarly.
“It’s extremely disheartening and disappointing, specifically since my daughter is about to enter college,” Walker said. “It impacts my community, because I am a woman of color, an African American, and really it will impact all Americans, because DEI isn’t just about race. It impacts people with disabilities, learning accommodations, international students, and it could impact all of us.”
Walker said she discusses topics in her classes such as racism, environmental racism and discriminatory practices, and she plans to continue to teach about all of them.
Communications Professor Christaan Eayrs said he doesn’t plan to change the way he teaches or interacts with his students because of the changing policies.
“I don’t think what I do in class or how I interact with my students is going to change much. I respect my students, I recognize and acknowledge their differences, thinking of each of them as a unique individual and that won’t change. And my desire to help them find access to resources and support that they need to be successful won’t change,” said Eayrs.
Braddix said he believes that diversity, equity and inclusion policies have been misinterpreted by many.
“Unfortunately, people often get wrong what it’s meant to be because people implement it in the wrong way, but I was very proud of the way we were implementing DEI here at the college, in which every single person was considered,” Braddix said.“The college’s heart is absolutely in the right place, and I think we will continue to live up to our commitment.”
Although the policy changes might be harder to recognize in a community college, the impact is still felt by many, said Walker.
“Only 6% of tenured philosophy professors are African American. And of course, even fewer are African American females,” she said. “So. it’s a topic that’s very near and dear to my heart because I know that I’ve had to, by force, make space for myself because there might not have necessarily been space for me.”
She continued, “I am the only African American teaching in this department here, I was the only African American at UMSL and I was the only African American at Maryville. It’s more common than not that diversity is not a common practice or a common priority in philosophy departments in this country, so I definitely do take the removal of the policies a little personal.”
In regard to the future of DEI policies at STLCC, Braddix said having a voice is important. “If people are unhappy with where we are, the best thing you can do is vote. Only 42% of people aged 18-29 voted in the last election; 58% of people aged 18-29 forfeited their opportunity for their voices to be heard.”
