Legislation Resources

Legislation Resources

Navigating Barriers to Equity: Resources for NADOHE Members

NADOHE created this page to share information and resources that diversity officers and practitioners will find useful as they navigate the many legislative attacks spreading across the country. These calculated efforts to dismantle equity, diversity, and inclusion work mean we must help each other understand the changing laws and share ideas on how to advance inclusive excellence in spite of the new barriers. 

NADOHE seeks to advocate with and for its more than 2,000 members who are committed to inclusive excellence, advancing equity, and dismantling systemic oppression. The resources included below will support NADOHE members as they navigate the changing legal landscape. 

NADOHE Communication Guide 

As the preeminent voice for senior diversity officers, we are pleased to provide you with the NADOHE Communication Guide. This guide is intended to be a valuable tool for Senior Diversity Officers, Academic Diversity Officers, institutional leaders, diversity professionals and others in and outside higher education in responding to the challenges to college and university diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging efforts.

NADOHE Chapters

NADOHE members have an opportunity to join chapters based on their area of interest and/or their geographic region. All 19 chapters operate with one common goal in mind: moving higher education toward inclusive excellence everywhere. Chapters serve as a conduit from the national association to the chapter members for information, programs, and other resources that may be especially helpful in the current climate. Area of interest chapters include:

  • Senior Diversity Officers in Catholic Higher Education Chapter
  • Health Professions Chapter
  • Legal Professions Chapter

View all chapters.

Resources on Race in Admissions

Following the Supreme Court ruling against race-conscious admissions practices on June 29, NADOHE provided insightful information and resources to help you and your institutions respond. The Association also hosted webinars both before and after the decision to help analyze the opinion and chart the way forward for DEI professionals and institutions.

The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice also released resources to assist colleges and universities in complying with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on the use of race in higher education admissions, including a "Dear Colleague" letter and a Q&A page.

Guidance on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ban in Texas 

In June, SB 17 banned diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at public colleges in Texas. This month, the Texas A&M University System offered guidance to employees on navigating the state’s ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public colleges. An online FAQ addresses faculty and staff questions on several topics of concern, including hiring, student programming and scholarly work.

PEN America Censored Classroms Report

America’s Censored Classrooms 2024: Refining the Art of Censorship is PEN America’s latest annual report on state-level educational censorship laws aimed at colleges and universities. The report outlines a growing and sophisticated campaign to restrict academic freedom and campus free expression in the United States.

The report warns that legislative efforts to curtail educational speech have evolved from overt gag orders banning controversial topics into new stealth tactics that threaten higher education across the nation. These new tactics obscure their intent to impose devastating new restrictions on higher ed by identifying them with popular causes such as “institutional neutrality” or “viewpoint diversity.”

The report also includes data visualizations, descriptions of new laws, and an updated index of educational censorship legislation.

PEN America Free Speech Guide 

The PEN America Campus Free Speech Guide offers practical, principled advice on free speech and inclusion on U.S. college campuses. The Guide contains advice for responding to speech-related controversies as well as guidance for proactive steps to avert such controversies and promote free speech and inclusion.

PEN America Educational Censorship Tracker

As PEN America works to defend students and teachers against legislative infringements on free expression in the classroom, they track bills in their Index of Educational Gag Orders

Additional Resources

Tracking Higher Ed's Dismantling of DEI

DEI Legislation Tracker

Truths About DEI on College Campuses: Evidence-Based Expert Responses to Politicized Misinformation

Countering Political Attacks on DEI: Resources for Student Affairs Professionals from NASPA

Campus Compact 

National Center on Free Speech 

The Education Trust Map of Anti-DEI Efforts on College Campuses Across the U.S.

Research

A growing body of research is helping us better understand the impacts of diversity, equity, and inclusion dismantling efforts and can allow us to make research-informed decisions on how to move forward.