After DEI: Preserving the Soul of Higher Education

Long before the US Supreme Court’s decision on Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, DEI curricula and practices were under attack. Now, many wonder if the work is a lost cause. States have banned critical books; the teaching of Critical Race Theory; Ethnic/Race and Gender Area Studies. Some faculty no longer feel protected by the promises of academic freedom and intellectual inquiry. And higher education institutions have been forced to identify where freedom of speech can and cannot occur on campuses. If there is ever a moment to resuscitate our commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and overall justice, it is now. 

Dr. Stephany Rose Spaulding's presentation focused on centering truth and conciliation both inside and outside the classroom. Faculty, staff, and administrators gathered to confront the complex realities of students’ needs, faculty obligations, and administrative responsibilities in these uncertain times.

Dr. Spaulding guided participants through developing a conscientious practice of truth-telling and radical transformation, encouraging attendees to uncover and address systemic inequities present in classrooms, administrations, institutions, and everyday life. Together, participants explored strategies to foster inclusivity and resilience in an era of educational change.

Thank you to all who attended and engaged in this essential conversation.​

Watch the keynote video here​ (requires authentication). 

Presenter's Biography 

Rev. Dr. Stephany Rose Spaulding is the Director of Government and Community Affairs at Chicago State University. She is also the founder of the Truth and Conciliation Commission, pastor Emeritus of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Colorado Springs, and former associate professor of Women's and Ethnic Studies and interim Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. With a B.A. and M.A. in Literature from Clark Atlanta University and Purdue University, respectively, as well as a Ph. D. in American Studies from Purdue University, she specializes in critical race and gender studies, English literature, and American popular culture. She is an interdisciplinary scholar and a social justice activist who produces generative scholarship that reaches far beyond the walls of academia and well into transformative ministry and community healing. 

Agenda