University of Florida Fires All DEI Staff

Well, folks it looks like conservatives are fighting back!

The woke staff in Gainesville, Florida have finally seen the end of the road for their propaganda as the University of Florida, in compliance with state law, fired all their DEI staff.

Will they be the only one to do?

Is this the only University to make this move?

Not likely.

This surely has pro-DEI liberals squirming in their seats, wondering if they’re next to be let go.

BREAKING: University of Florida fires DEI staff as part of statewide crackdown on the ideology being funded by taxpayers in higher educationhttps://t.co/FwlEy5gQtc

— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) March 1, 2024

The Gainsville Sun reports:

The University of Florida announced Friday that it is eliminating all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion employee positions.

This change, announced through an emailed administrative memo, comes after the Florida Board of Governors labeled expenditures related to DEI programs as prohibited expenditures.

The memo explains that “to comply with the Florida Board of Governor’s regulation 9.016 on prohibited expenditures, the University of Florida has closed the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, eliminated DEI positions and administrative appointments, and halted DEI-focused contracts with outside vendors.”

The Board of Governors defines DEI as “any program, campus activity, or policy that classifies individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation and promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals on the basis of such classification.”

The regulation says a state university “may not expend any state or federal funds to promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities” that violate section 1000.05 of Florida Statutes, advocate for what it defines as diversity, equity, and inclusion, or promote or engage in what it defines as political or social activism.

Florida Statute section 1000.05, named the Florida Educational Equity Act, requires equality of access and prohibits discrimination “on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital status” against students and employees in the Florida K-20 public education system.

Friday afternoon, Gov. Ron DeSantis commented on X (formerly Twitter): “DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities. I’m glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit.”

Employees who have been fired will receive the university’s standard 12 weeks of pay, under the direction of UF Human Resources. UF said these employees are encouraged to apply, between March 1 and April 19, for expedited consideration for different positions currently open at the university. UF also said it will work to speed up the interview process for these employees and provide an answer on all applications within 12 weeks.

State Reps. Dianne Hart, D-Tampa, and Yvonne Hinson, D-Gainesville, voiced their disapproval of the firings in prepared statements.

🚨🚨MASSIVE BREAKING: The University of Florida has fired all DEI staff.

Conservatives are finally fighting back. Every red state must follow suit as soon as humanly possible. This is the way. https://t.co/14rtDcglel

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 1, 2024

The University of Florida fired every DEI employee today. I love it. Go Gators: pic.twitter.com/LY2CW2Ixau

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) March 1, 2024

University of Florida FIRES all 28 of its DEI employees after DeSantis law bans schools from using state money for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Good no more mediocracy! pic.twitter.com/LMh5mPIMc2

— Duncan McLean (@DuncanM22722159) March 2, 2024

And those 28 employees are just the beginning as this trend will snowball among other DEI pushers.

The governor took a moment to voice his thoughts on DEI.

DEI doesn’t last long in Florida.

Florida is where DEI goes to die… https://t.co/1PsGgHE6nP

— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) March 1, 2024

Fox News adds:

The University of Florida is firing all employees in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) positions and administrative appointments, according to a memo the university sent on Friday.

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“To comply with the Florida Board of Governor’s regulation 9.016 on prohibited expenditures, the University of Florida has closed the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, eliminated DEI positions and administrative appointments, and halted DEI-focused contracts with outside vendors,” the memo states.

“Under the direction of UF Human Resources, university employees whose positions were eliminated will receive UF’s standard twelve weeks of pay. These colleagues are allowed and encouraged to apply, between now and Friday, April 19, for expedited consideration for different positions currently posted with the university. UF HR will work to fast-track the interview process and provide an answer on all applications within the twelve-week window.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has made halting DEI a cornerstone of his efforts to overhaul education in the state, wrote on X, “Florida is where DEI goes to die.”

The memo added that the Office of the Chief Financial Officer would reallocate the approximately $5 million in funds previously reported to Tallahassee for DEI expense into a faculty recruitment fund.

“Finally, the University of Florida is – and will always be – unwavering in our commitment to universal human dignity. As we educate students by thoughtfully engaging a wide range of ideas and views, we will continue to foster a community of trust and respect for every member of the Gator Nation. The University of Florida is an elite institution because of our incredible faculty who are committed to teaching, discovering, and serving,” the memo states.

Even Texas is getting in on the action and getting rid of DEI propaganda as well!

"Texas Tech’s leading DEI administrator left her position soon after SB 17 passed. It also scrubbed its website of almost all college-level DEI plans and personnel."

So there were successes! pic.twitter.com/qiJSDHywri

— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) February 22, 2024

This is great news!

Let’s see this gain momentum and spread among all the states!

It’s time for DEI, and all its other variation of names that the liberals likely to make up at a moments notice, to come to an end.