University of Florida Terminates All DEI Employees

GAINESVILLE, Florida - The University of Florida stated in a memo that all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion employees are being terminated and that those positions are being eliminated, the independent campus newspaper The Alligator reported.

"To comply with the Florida Board of Governor’s regulation 9.016 on prohibited expenditures, the University of Florida has closed the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, eliminated DEI positions and administrative appointments, and halted DEI-focused contracts with outside vendors, " the memo states.

The terminated employees will receive 12 weeks severance pay and the University of Florida is encouraging those terminated employees to apply for expedited consideration of other positions at Florida's flagship university.

The $5 million that the University of Florida will save from the elimination of the DEI programs will be reallocated toward faculty recruitment, the memo adds.

Earlier this year, the Florida Legislature passed and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law, statutes prohibiting Florida's educational institutions from using state or federal funds to administer programs that categorize individuals based on race or sex for the purpose of differential or preferential treatment.

Companion regulations eliminating DEI were then promulgated by the Florida Board of Governors and the Florida Department of Education.

"DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities. I’m glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit," Desantis tweeted.

DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities.

I’m glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit. https://t.co/oThvwowKu6

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 1, 2024