Ohio State Engineering Job Applicants Face THIS New Requirement, And It's Stirring Things Up

Submitting this statement shows that applicants are committed to diversity, and the written declaration has to be submitted in their own words.

Along with stating they are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion is required, OSU requires each applicant to give specific examples, such as research activities addressing social inequality, working with underrepresented communities, or outreach programs.

According to Breitbart, John Sailer of the National Association of Scholars tweeted out a rubric used to judge DEI statements. Sailer noted that for a statement to receive a “four,” which is the highest ranking, the applicant must be “comfortable talking about race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and other identities, specific actions taken to decrease bias and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion,’ and must also demonstrate “ongoing commitment to learning and action.”

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March 23, 2023

Rubrics used in the hiring process range from low to high scores. The rubric score is based on awareness or understanding of DEI, experience promoting DEI, and plans to advance DEI. A low score is assigned to candidates who “vaguely describe the importance of diversity.” A high score is given to candidates who provide examples of addressing bias in their careers.

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Ohio State is not the first University to require diversity statements. Eastern Washington University requires custodian applicants to submit a diversity statement. The job description states that the university, as “an equal opportunity employer with a multicultural staff and student population,” is “interested in how your qualifications prepare you to work with diverse faculty, staff, and student populations representing various cultures and backgrounds that may be different from your own.”

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The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, is concerned about the new hiring process. A letter to OSU in September 2022 specifically addressed the new DEI statement requirements. Per The College Fix, in the letter, FIRE stated that “as a public university bound by the First Amendment, OSU must uphold academic freedom of its faculty and make its hiring decisions in a viewpoint-neutral manner. The University cannot reject or penalize job applicants because they fail to progress allegiance to a particular political or ideological position.”

Breitbart reports there is pushback from some Republicans. Ohio Senator Jerry Cirino recently introduced Senate Bill 83, which bars ideological testing for applicants seeking employment at public universities.