{"id":2086219,"date":"2023-11-01T03:09:01","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T07:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-am-nursing-school-required-commitment-to-diversity-and-inclusion-for-faculty-hires\/"},"modified":"2023-11-01T03:17:23","modified_gmt":"2023-11-01T07:17:23","slug":"texas-am-nursing-school-required-commitment-to-diversity-and-inclusion-for-faculty-hires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-am-nursing-school-required-commitment-to-diversity-and-inclusion-for-faculty-hires\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas A&#038;M nursing school mandates faculty hires to prioritize diversity and inclusion."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftexas-am-nursing-school-required-commitment-to-diversity-and-inclusion-for-faculty-hires%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2086219&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Texas A&#038;M University&#8217;s School of Nursing \u2062Prioritizes Diversity and Inclusion in Faculty Hiring<\/h2>\n<p>The School of\u200b Nursing at Texas \u2064A&#038;M University has taken \u2064significant steps to\u200c demonstrate\u2062 its commitment to\u200c diversity and inclusion \u200din faculty hiring, according to recently revised documents. The &#8220;Handbook\u200b for Faculty Search Committee Members,&#8221; \u200bupdated in February, outlines standards for recruiting and hiring new faculty members that emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion.<\/p>\n<p>The guidelines encourage \u2062applicants to \u200cwrite essays detailing \u200dtheir\u200d personal commitment to diversity\u200b and inclusion and how it informs\u200c their professional \u2062contributions. This requirement aims to showcase the department and\u2064 college&#8217;s core values of diversity and inclusion \u2062to potential applicants. While hiring committees have the \u200dflexibility to establish their own standards for\u200d evaluating\u200d commitment to diversity, equity,\u200d and\u200d inclusion, the\u2063 document suggests setting a minimum acceptable\u200c score for the DEI commitment statement.<\/p>\n<p>The handbook emphasizes that strong \u200dstatements should demonstrate a deep understanding of key DEI issues in academia, as\u2062 experienced by underrepresented groups, \u200band provide\u200d detailed descriptions of \u200cactivities\u2064 and\u200c plans.\u200c Conversely,\u200d weak statements would only demonstrate a simplistic understanding.<\/p>\n<p>Laura Morgan, \u200ba nurse with 39 years of experience and the program manager of Do No Harm, expressed the importance of Governor Greg Abbott signing Senate \u200bBill 17 into law. This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-am-nursing-school-required-commitment-to-diversity-and-inclusion-for-faculty-hires\/\" title=\"Texas A&#038;M nursing school mandates faculty hires to prioritize diversity and inclusion.\">bill includes critical reforms<\/a>\u2062 to restore merit and \u2063educational standards \u200cin higher education in\u200b Texas. Morgan raised concerns that the Texas \u200dA&#038;M School of\u2063 Nursing is\u2062 rushing to hire pro-DEI faculty members before the\u200c January\u2064 1 deadline.<\/p>\n<h3>Guidance for Hiring Committees and \u2064Job Advertisements<\/h3>\n<p>The handbook also provides guidance\u2062 for hiring committees, suggesting that they act as advocates for \u200cdiversity, not just for women and faculty of color. It acknowledges that \u200cpointing out bias and discrimination can be emotionally challenging for women faculty and faculty from historically \u200bunderrepresented groups.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the guidance recommends using family-neutral language in job advertisements to appeal to individuals who identify \u2062as LGBT.<\/p>\n<p>Compliance\u200c with New Law and Faculty Focus on DEI<\/p>\n<p>The handbook was published shortly\u200b before Governor Abbott signed\u200c a ban on DEI initiatives \u2062at colleges, effective January 2024. Texas A&#038;M University took early action to comply\u2064 with the new law \u2062by closing \u2063its DEI office and discontinuing non-compliant programs. The university stated that resources previously\u2064 allocated\u2064 to the DEI office would be redirected to\u200d other areas.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the forthcoming ban, some faculty members, like assistant\u200d professor Arica Brandford, continue to prioritize DEI-related issues. \u2064Brandford has a history of advocating for DEI\u2063 initiatives and \u2064focuses her research on DEI and\u200d racism\u2064 in\u2062 nursing.<\/p>\n<p>Morgan criticized Brandford&#8217;s hiring,\u200d citing her involvement \u2064in creating racially divisive &#8220;implicit bias&#8221; training for the Kentucky Nurses Association. Morgan believes that Texas A&#038;M should\u200b have considered this as a \u200cred\u200b flag during the hiring process.<\/p>\n<h3>Brandford&#8217;s \u2062Focus on\u2062 Black History Month<\/h3>\n<p>Brandford&#8217;s emails, obtained\u2064 through a records request,\u200b reveal her planning a &#8220;black \u200bhistory month&#8221;\u200d theme of &#8220;black resistance&#8221; in healthcare. In another email, she\u200c expresses frustration that the School of Nursing did not adequately plan\u2062 for Black History Month.<\/p>\n<p>She argues that Black History Month\u2063 should be well-planned and aligned with the school&#8217;s vision, mission, values, and \u2062strategic plan. Brandford emphasizes \u200bthe need\u2063 for ongoing action beyond February, stating that change and multicultural advocacy should be \u2064continuous.<\/p>\n<p>Brandford suggests starting\u2063 points for addressing black resistance in nursing, acknowledging the history of racism against black nurses.<\/p>\n<p>Morgan \u2064expressed disappointment in Texas A&#038;M&#8217;s decision to \u2063hire a professor with Brandford&#8217;s ideological beliefs, \u200bwhich she believes undermine the consideration of quality applicants who do\u200b not \u2064subscribe to\u2064 the\u2063 concept of oppressed \u2062and oppressors.<\/p>\n<p>The Washington Examiner reached out to both the School of Nursing and Brandford for comment, but they did not respond.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What measures has the School of Nursing taken to \u2062ensure that their faculty hiring process aligns with the new regulations\u200b outlined in Senate Bill 17?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  D Senate Bill 17 into \u200blaw, which raises \u2063questions about the Texas A&#038;M School of Nursing&#8217;s compliance \u2063with these new regulations. \u200dThe bill aims to restore merit and \u200deducational standards in higher\u2064 education in Texas. However, Laura Morgan, a nurse and program manager of Do No Harm, expressed concerns that the school is rushing to hire pro-DEI faculty members before the January 1 deadline imposed by the \u2064law.<\/p>\n<p>It is \u2062essential for the\u2064 School of Nursing to prioritize diversity and inclusion in their hiring practices. By \u200cactively seeking out faculty members who are committed to diversity and \u200dinclusion, the school can\u2063 create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for both students and faculty. This commitment to diversity aligns with the core values \u2064of the department and the college and \u200bensures \u200cthat a diverse range of perspectives \u200cand\u2063 experiences are represented in the faculty.<\/p>\n<p>The guidelines outlined\u2064 in the &#8220;Handbook\u200c for Faculty Search Committee Members&#8221; emphasize the importance of applicants demonstrating \u200btheir personal \u200ccommitment to diversity \u2064and \u2064inclusion. By \u2063requiring applicants to write essays detailing their commitment and how it informs their professional \u200ccontributions, the school can\u2064 gain a better understanding of each applicant&#8217;s perspective and dedication to creating an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harvard-still-seeking-diverse-student-population-despite-scotus-ruling\/\" title=\"Harvard remains committed to diverse student body despite SCOTUS ruling.\">inclusive academic environment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, \u200cthe handbook advises hiring committees to establish\u200b their own standards\u2063 for evaluating commitment to\u200c diversity, equity,\u2064 and inclusion. However, it suggests setting a minimum acceptable score for the DEI commitment statement, ensuring\u2064 that \u2063all candidates must demonstrate a genuine understanding and engagement\u200c with these issues. Strong \u2062statements should showcase a deep understanding of\u200c key DEI issues in academia and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/musks-x-sues-california-over-content-moderation-law\/\" title=\"Musk's X takes legal action against California's moderation law.\">provide detailed descriptions<\/a> of activities\u200b and plans, \u2062while weak statements would only demonstrate a simplistic\u2062 understanding.<\/p>\n<p>In \u200daddition to guiding hiring committees, the handbook also recommends using family-neutral\u200d language in job advertisements to appeal to individuals who identify as LGBT. This small but significant change shows the importance of inclusivity at\u200b every stage of the hiring process, from the initial job advertisement \u200bto the final selection of faculty members.<\/p>\n<p>While the recent signing of Senate \u2064Bill 17 into law raises concerns about the \u200cSchool of Nursing&#8217;s compliance, it is crucial that the school continues to \u200cprioritize diversity and \u2064inclusion in\u2064 faculty hiring. By\u200c doing so, \u200dthey can create a supportive and \u2063inclusive environment that fosters academic excellence and prepares \u200dstudents to become \u200bculturally competent healthcare professionals. Ultimately, the commitment \u2064to diversity and\u200d inclusion should remain \u2063steadfast, regardless of external regulations or pressures.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Texas A&amp;M University&#8217;s School of Nursing implemented diversity and inclusion criteria for faculty hiring. A revised handbook in February outlined standards for recruiting and hiring new faculty members, emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Allegations have been made against a liberal DC attorney general with connections to a dark-money organization.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2086220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2086219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2086219"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086219\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2086220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2086219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2086219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2086219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}