LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – UNLV removed a scoresheet Thursday from its human resources webpage intended to provide guidance for evaluating the diversity statements of potential faculty hires, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.
Tuesday, the 8 News Now Investigators published the accounts of an interview with the university president, Dr. Keith Whitfield, in which Whitfield downplayed certain aspects of the university’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives.
One of them was the aforementioned scorecard. Additionally, faculty job postings like this one seem to require a “Commitment to Diversity.”
“The successful candidate will demonstrate support for diversity, equity, and inclusiveness as well as participate in maintaining a respectful, positive work environment,” the posting said.
Originally, the 8 News Now Investigators asked UNLV to define its stance on DEI given President Trump’s executive orders to cut off funding to institutions and corporations who don’t abolish their DEI initiatives. A UNLV spokesman sent a statement which said, in part:
“With respect to current policies, the university follows federal Equal Employment Opportunities requirements and related system-wide policies set by the NSHE Board of Regents… Beyond that, I checked in with our Human Resources team and I’m not aware of any additional current (or recent) university-wide policies on this topic. “
The DEI scorecard, which ranks candidates in four separate categories including whether they provide a statement discussing contributions to DEI, and whether the candidate indicates awareness of inequities and challenges in education faced by underrepresented or disadvantaged groups.
Whitfield, in an interview with the 8 News Now Investigators after his annual State of the University address on the UNLV campus, said talent drives the university’s hiring practices.
“For our policy,” Whitfield said, “it’s always been about talent. You know, we try to get the best.”
Whitfield became UNLV’s 11th president on Aug. 24, 2020, according to the university’s website.
