Fostering Inclusive Learning Environments while Navigating DEI Backlash

Abstract The year 2020 in the United States marked what appeared to be a historic shift toward racial justice, equity, and inclusion. However, as of May 31, 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has identified 491 bills in the 2023 legislative session that target the freedoms, rights, and safety of LGBTQ+ individuals and communities (ACLU, 2023). Similarly, in 2023 20 states in the U.S. have seen 35 anti-DEI bills introduced that restrict DEI offices and their staff, use of diversity statements, DEI-related training, and identity-based equity in hiring and admissions within colleges and universities (Lu, et al. 2023). Amid this tumultuous landscape, faculty and administrators continue to educate post-secondary learners, enhance their ability to thrive, and prepare them for the workforce. The ever-present need for the fields of computing and engineering to more closely reflect the composition of society while simultaneously developing the future minds in these disciplines has increasingly become a contentious and in some places illegal, goal. Despite inconsistent guidance and resources, educators in and out of the classroom have been managing the goals of their role, institutional and socio-historic pressures, and their duty to cultivate environments where all learners can flourish. In this presentation, we will discuss the complex challenges faced by U.S. educators seeking to cultivate successful learning environments for underrepresented populations in engineering and computing. A primary goal of this session is to investigate and recognize signals of DEI backlash and inclusion, respectively. Throughout the session, attention will be made to the specific contexts of the session attendees, including identifying indicators of backlash and challenges specific to their social environments. Examples of backlash at the national, state, institutional, and individual levels will be explored along with recommendations for trouble-shooting these challenges. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the potential impact of DEI backlash on learning environments and post-secondary organizations as well as strategies for broadening how we accomplish goals for inclusion.