(The Center Square) – The Idaho State Board of Education has approved a ban on DEI ideology in higher education in its commitment to “the success of every student.”
“Institutions shall not establish or maintain a central office, policy, procedure, or initiative that promotes DEI ideology,” the board’s resolution states.
The board defines DEI ideology as “any approach that prioritizes ‘personal identity characteristics’ (race, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, or gender identity) over individual merit.”
When the board was reached for comment, The Center Square was referred to a news release on the resolution.
Diversity statements were already prohibited in Idaho for hiring and admissions, as stated by the resolution.
The anti-DEI resolution reviewed the board’s policy to create a “welcoming and dynamic learning environment of belonging by administrators, faculty, and staff who are invested in the success of every student.”
“The Board recognizes and values the unique diversity of Idahoans and expects the postsecondary institutions to foster a campus culture that appreciates and reflects this diversity,” the resolution states.
“Institutions shall ensure that no student resource or student success center serves students based on DEI ideology,” the resolution states.
“Institutions shall establish and maintain equality of opportunity so that all students may succeed regardless of personal identity characteristics,” the resolution states.
Furthermore, “institutions shall not use personal identity characteristics in decisions affecting the employment or education of any employee or student.”
Under the new resolution, students and employees also will not “be required to declare gender identity or preferred pronouns in any form of communication.”
Idaho has eight public colleges and universities. However, only four will be affected by the resolution, according to local Idaho news station KTVB, the four being the University of Idaho, Idaho State University, Boise State University, and Lewis-Clark State College.
The Idaho State Board serves as the Board of Regents at the University of Idaho and as the Board of Trustees at the other three affected schools, according to the board’s website.
The ban will take effect on June 30, 2025, according to the board’s resolution.
As The Center Square previously reported, Boise State University shuttered its DEI centers in expectation of the ruling.
The Idaho board’s resolution to ban DEI follows the trend of anti-DEI measures in higher education in other states, including Georgia, Alabama, Utah and Iowa.