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I'll give you an answer for how we have used them - essentially, helping set context (indeed, we have context statements as well). DEI activities often take a

by Fomite 2y ago

I'll give you an answer for how we have used them - essentially, helping set context (indeed, we have context statements as well). DEI activities often take a lot of time, and are often undervalued by many traditional academic metrics - they don't produce papers, rarely produce grants outside perhaps the occasional diversity supplement, etc. As a small example, to ensure that undergraduate research experience isn't reserve for those without the need to take summer jobs, I ensure all the undergraduates in my lab are paid - and this costs my lab money I don't technically have to spend. Many of my colleagues do a great deal more. Having a required DEI statement both lets people who work in these areas highlight their work, and also makes it obvious those who don't. It's a way to do something beyond just saying "These activities are important" by moving them to the forefront. All that being said, they are often used in a very perfunctory fashion, and while I do somewhat agree with the idea of them, in practice they've not proved useful.

hn_throwaway_99 2y ago
Thank you for your response. But looking at your answer highlights even more to me why I think DEI statements are dumb. E.g. taking your example specifically, if the university is truly invested in DEI, simple solution: unpaid summer research internships should be forbidden; all summer research internships must be paid, and here are the guidelines around amounts, funding, etc... The above would be one real solution to increase diversity (while not necessarily being cheap/free), with the benefit of also one not likely to be opposed from either side of the political spectrum (a true rarity these days).
- Fomite 2y ago
  True, although in this case there's a lot of pushback - if it's not during the summer, can students get both credit and paid? How hard is it to make your lab jobs work-study positions, given they are all one-off positions? And there would definitely be pushback on it being mandatory, because academics, as much as I hate that we do, tend to love free labor. Devoting energy to those fights, and the political capital consequences of doing so, and success if you were successful, would be an excellent addition to a DEI statement, and would help explain why you were less productive than J. OtherProfessor, who chose to devote their time strictly to research. The best DEI statements are ones that discuss action.

by Fomite 2y ago

hn_throwaway_99 2y ago

Thank you for your response. But looking at your answer highlights even more to me why I think DEI statements are dumb. E.g. taking your example specifically, if the university is truly invested in DEI, simple solution: unpaid summer research internships should be forbidden; all summer research internships must be paid, and here are the guidelines around amounts, funding, etc... The above would be one real solution to increase diversity (while not necessarily being cheap/free), with the benefit of also one not likely to be opposed from either side of the political spectrum (a true rarity these days).

Fomite 2y ago
True, although in this case there's a lot of pushback - if it's not during the summer, can students get both credit and paid? How hard is it to make your lab jobs work-study positions, given they are all one-off positions? And there would definitely be pushback on it being mandatory, because academics, as much as I hate that we do, tend to love free labor. Devoting energy to those fights, and the political capital consequences of doing so, and success if you were successful, would be an excellent addition to a DEI statement, and would help explain why you were less productive than J. OtherProfessor, who chose to devote their time strictly to research. The best DEI statements are ones that discuss action.