Supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The AFT is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in higher education. In the wake of anti-DEI legislation that has been proposed and enacted into law across the country, we are standing strong in combating extremist attacks that seek to reverse decades of progress toward racial equity and access to higher education.

We know that having a campus community and higher education workforce that reflects a vast range of perspectives and experiences is vital to the future success of higher education. A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging has been shown to improve student outcomes and enhance teaching and research quality. Extremists fueling the current reactionary landscape are dismantling the legal framework that increased diversity in higher education—and they are creating new barriers that undermine colleges’ missions and erode higher education's role in promoting collective well-being.

AFT Resources:
AFT Legal Primer: Challenging Divisive Concepts Legislation
Talking points: Pushing back on anti-DEI efforts and supporting DEI initiatives
AFT’s Weingarten Slams Supreme Court Ruling Overturning Affirmative Action in College Admissions
AFT FAQ on Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. UNC
AFT Resolution: In Support of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity in Response to the June 2023 Supreme Court Ban on the use of Affirmative Action in College Admissions
AFT News: Ban on affirmative action is a blow to equity in higher education