BUZZ
Ahead of the fall semester, Princeton University required student dormitory supervisors to participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings that covered “microaggressions,” “internalized oppression,” and other topics.
National Review first reported on the mandatory training sessions based on recordings and documents it obtained at the end of August.
Many universities have been closing their DEI offices and shutting down programs under pressure from the Trump administration. But, as some conservative education leaders have observed, Princeton has been doubling down instead.
National Review’s Abigail Anthony, a College Fix alum, wrote that the RA trainings are an example of how, “despite the Trump administration’s efforts to purge such programming from campus life, DEI is alive and well at some of the most elite universities.”
One of the sessions Princeton required RAs to participate in this summer was the “Four I’s of Oppression.” It taught the students about “ideological, institutional, interpersonal, and internalized oppression,” according to the report.
“Every system of oppression comes from the idea that one group is somehow better than another,” according to a video from the training.
During another session, “DEI training part two,” students learned about “facilitating inclusive conversations.”
The session involved students acting out “hypothetical scenarios involving undergraduates,” including conflicts involving “microaggressions,” “racism incident,” “elections conversation,” “gender discrimination,” according to the report:
A scenario about “gender discrimination” addresses “a group of males who have formed a bond with each other” that is refusing to let a student who “openly identifies as a trans man” join an off-campus trip to watch soccer; a member of the male group says “our group is only for guys; we do a bunch of guy stuff that wouldn’t be fun unless you’re a guy.”
Staffers involved in the trainings included Jes Norman, “an education and outreach program coordinator at Princeton University, who opened ‘DEI training part one’ by saying, ‘My pronouns are they, them, or xe, xir, or you can use my name,’ and ‘I come into the space as a black, queer, non-binary person who is also neurodivergent,’” according to National Review.
Dean for Diversity and Inclusion Karin Firoza also was involved.
Among Firoza’s advice was for student leaders to create “a ‘grace space’ for conversations where we assume ‘best intent’ so that ‘we’re not canceling people at the first sight of a mistake they made or something that they said,’” the report states.
Firoza also asked students to think about “our own lived experiences through our social identities.”
Responding, a university spokesperson told National Review that the two DEI sessions were part of “a full week of training for incoming and returning Residential College Advisors that also covered topics including dining services, emergency preparedness and student discipline — all designed to help the RCAs support the success of all students.”
However, one conservative student who participated said the “indoctrination” trainings need to stop.
“Conservative leaders need to know that our battle against university indoctrination is not close to finished,” the unnamed student told National Review.
“In the past I’ve sat through these sessions without saying a word for fear of retribution from others and potentially losing my job as a residential college adviser,” the student said. “However, I’m tired of conservatives on campus feeling as though they have to just go along with this indoctrination.”
