The University of Delaware is bringing back its student indoctrination program, but with more qualified indoctrinators, complains the Wilmington News-Journal.
After a national flap over a dorm program that pressed students to examine their sexuality and political views, the UD Faculty Senate has issued guidelines for change.
Did the faculty renounce program materials such as Shakti Butler’s definition of a racist as “all white people living in the United States” and her statement that “people of color cannot be racists?”
Nope.
They said Ms. Butler’s written materials should not have been posted on UD’s Web site — probably so that parents and national commentators would not have proof of what’s going on.
Did they publicly criticize the program that forced embarrassed freshmen to tell strangers when they first discovered their sexual identity?
Nope.
They just said faculty should have designed the program and qualified professionals should have led the discussions.
Via Phi Beta Cons.
UD had been using RAs to mold first-year students’ ideas and attitudes. “Qualified professionals” would cost a lot more. Perhaps the cost will kill the idea.
I wrote about UD’s brainwashing program here and here.
Alan Fox, president of the Faculty Senate, responds to the News-Journal, claiming the new program won’t tell “freshmen what they should think or say about gender and race” and won’t be mandatory. Hube is skeptical.
Keep in mind that the university isn’t “revamping” this program out of some sudden altruism; they’re doing it because they got caught and called out on it, notably by the libertarian-leaning free speech group FIRE.
I’ll bet state legislators and donors complained.
Not mandatory.
It would be nice to know what kind of pressure counts as not mandatory.
“You don’t want to be left out….?”
What, exactly, happens when a kid turns down the offer?
If it truly is non-mandatory and there’s no pressure, how many kids are going to offer to be involved?
If they promise the students food, plenty will show up!