Western Kentucky University says it’s in compliance with a new state law targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
House Bill 4, approved in this year's legislative session, bans DEI initiatives, which promote preferential treatment to individuals on the basis of religion, sex, color, or national origin, according to the Republican-dominant General Assembly.
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed HB 4 in March, but the GOP super-majority overrode his veto.
General Counsel Andrea Anderson addressed an interim legislative committee Tuesday on how WKU has responded to the law, including a new committee to evaluate courses.
“They’re examining syllabi and sampling course content to ensure that alternate viewpoints are presented along with dominant perspectives, that course material reflects a broad range of ideological perspectives, and that assessments do not require adoption of specific viewpoints, stated Anderson to the Budget Review Subcommittee on Education.
Anderson also said references to DEI have been removed from the campus website, and WKU no longer allows employees to attend DEI-specific conferences and trainings, resulting in a cost-savings of about $13,000.
The WKU Board of Regents adopted a resolution in June stating the school would comply with
the anti-DEI law.
