The University System of Georgia (USG), which governs 26 public colleges and universities as well as the public library system, has adopted several changes to combat Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) ideology and to include U.S. founding documents in the curriculum.
USG, which oversees institutions such as the University of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Kennesaw State University, passed the proposals including “Equal Opportunity in Admissions” this week:
“Ideological tests, affirmations, and oaths, including diversity statements,” will be banned from admissions and employment processes for both students and faculty, USG’s Board of Regents said in their agenda, published November 12.
Instead of being diverse or sharing the mainstream political views, “the basis and determining factor” for employment will be “that the individual possesses the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the role, and is believed to have the ability to successfully perform the essential functions, responsibilities, and duties associated with the position for which the individual is being considered.”
“No applicant for admission shall be asked to or required to affirmatively ascribe to or opine about political beliefs, affiliations, ideals, or principles, as a condition for admission,” the new policies state.
The board’s revisions also state that USG institutions will “remain neutral on social and political issues unless such an issue is directly related to the institution’s core mission.”
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As USG also governs the Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS), the board’s decisions will also impact the 61 public library systems that operate 385 branches across the state.
In addition to the anti-DEI policies, USG’s board will also require students enrolled in public colleges and universities to study important American documents like the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Federalist Papers, and the Emancipation Proclamation.
Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address and Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King’s letter from Birmingham Jail will also be included in the curriculum in the 2025-2026 school year:
In a statement shared with Campus Reform, the Board of Regents said that “these proposed updates strengthen USG’s academic communities.”
“They allow institutions to foster a campus environment where people have the freedom to share their thoughts and learn from one another through objective scholarship and inquiry. They reflect an unyielding obligation to protect freedom, provide quality higher education and promote student success,” the statement added.
“Colleges and universities not only equip students for the jobs of tomorrow, they also must prepare them to be contributing members of society and to understand the ideals of freedom and democracy that make America so exceptional,” the board said.
“The proposed revisions among other things would make clear that student admissions and employee hiring should be based on a person’s qualifications, not his or her beliefs.”
In October, the USG board also urged the NCAA to ban biological males and those who have “undergone masculinizing hormone therapy” from competing in female athletic competitions.
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