We’ve all wondered what the hell collegiate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) bureaucrats do all day. Whatever it is, the DEI grifters on the Vanderbilt University payroll gave it a higher priority than writing original copy for a pointless “inclusivity” message about the Feb.13 mass shooting at Michigan State University.
We pause to note that — at Vandy — they’re “EDI” grifters: Apparently prioritizing Marxist wealth redistribution, Vanderbilt puts “equity” first in what it calls its “Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.”
The five-paragraph email to the Peabody College of Education and Human Development is about what you’d expect from DEI programmers — which is to say it sounds like it was written by a robot. Here’s a sample:
Another important aspect of creating an inclusive environment is to promote a culture of respect and understanding. This means valuing the diversity of experiences, perspectives, and identities on our campus, and actively working to create a space where everyone feels welcomed and supported. We can do this by listening to one another, seeking out new perspectives, and challenging our own assumptions and biases.
It just happens that, in this case, it actually was written by a robot. It’s likely nobody would have noticed — if the email hadn’t actually disclosed its AI authorship.
We’re not sure if we should credit the EDI office for transparency or lampoon them for inattention to detail: Intentionally or not, the email included this parenthetical language: “Paraphrase from OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI language model, personal communication, February 15, 2023.”
In interviews with The Vanderbilt Hustler, students expressed their dismay:
- “Deans, provosts, and the chancellor: Do more. Do anything. And lead us into a better future with genuine, human empathy, not a robot,” said Laith Kayat.
- “They release milquetoast, mealymouthed statements that really say nothing whenever an issue arises on or off campus with real political and moral stakes,” said Jackson Davis.
Rather than expecting college deans to lead them to a “better future,” rational students might ask why Vandy’s EDI office felt compelled to write an inclusivity message about a mass shooting perpetrated by a non-student on a campus 500 miles away in the first place.
Then again, such check-the-box pronouncements from universities (and corporations) on all kinds of topics have become an aggravatingly standard part of modern life. “They’re a form of ‘do something‘-ism that college students have grown to expect, but they’re not actually useful or important,” writes Reason’s Liz Wolfe.
Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Nicole Joseph followed up on the robot-written message with an apology, saying that using ChatGPT to communicate in a “time of sorrow…contradicts the values that characterize Peabody College…This moment gives us all an opportunity to reflect on what we know and what we still must learn about AI.”
Joseph was just appointed to her post in January. As an associate math professor, her research focused on “Whiteness, White Supremacy and how it operates and shapes underrepresentation of Black women and girls in mathematics.”
Vanderbilt announced that Joseph and assistant EDI dean Hasina Mohyuddin — who “facilitates workshops on such topics as unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, the impact of racism and structural inequalities, restorative justice, and narrative circles” — will step back from their duties while the university investigates what happened.
While it wasn’t disclosed, it’s safe to say they’ll still receive a full salary while doing little or nothing of value. In other words, life won’t be so different for these two as they await their inevitable reinstatement.
Tyler Durden
Sat, 02/25/2023 – 17:00
