The University of Alaska Board of Regents has voted to prohibit any mention at the university of diversity, equity and Inclusion, and “related terms.” I never thought I would see this valuable institution brought so low.

According to press reports, the regents still believe the university should be diverse, equal and inclusive, but put a ban on those words and on programs that could be seem as supporting those goals. The concern seems to be that they might offend President Trump, who they fear could cut off federal funds from the university. But those terms are not just words to put on a wall, they are live concepts to live into, to stand up for.

I once taught a course at UAS on Native Alaskan Legal and Policy Issues. It was all about the history of the long effort to include Native peoples as equals in our society. I wonder if such a course would even be allowed today. Why did the regents decide that fighting for diversity, inclusion and equity was against the principles of UA? Have they really decided to go back decades to the error of excluding Native peoples and other minorities, and allow discrimination against them? I believe this act is shameful. We should all stand up and protest, now, strongly, before they do even worse.

Douglas K. Mertz

Juneau