Boise State suspends, later resumes ethics and diversity course following student complaints

On March 16, 2021, after Boise State University administrators fielded student allegations that a professor in one of the school’s Foundations of Ethics and Diversity courses had “degraded” a white student for certain beliefs and values, the administration suspended all sections of the class. On March 24, the university announced it would resume the course in an online, asynchronous format.

Key Players

Marlene Tromp is the seventh president of Boise State University, a position she has held since July 2019. Before her presidency at Boise State, she served as campus provost and executive vice chancellor at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

The Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) is a libertarian think tank that “exists to advance conservative principles — limited government, free markets and self-reliance,” according to the group’s website.

Further Details

On March 16, 2021, Tromp sent an email to colleagues announcing that “UF 200: Foundations of Ethics and Diversity” — a mandatory three-credit class — would be suspended, effective immediately, because of the alleged humiliation of a white student that occurred during a virtual class session, according to Idaho Education News. Approximately 1,300 students were enrolled across 52 sections of the course, reported Inside Higher Ed. The administration did not clarify which of the sections spurred the complaint, according to Idaho News 6.

“We have been made aware of a series of concerns, culminating in allegations that a student or students have been humiliated and degraded in class on our campus for their beliefs and values,” Tromp said in the email, which was also signed by interim Provost Tony Roark. “This is never acceptable; it is not what Boise State stands for, and we will not tolerate this behavior.”

The class “challenges students to inquire into key ethical ideas and values together, giving equal voice to all who are committed to the public good,” according to the course website.

After the announcement that the course was suspended, the IFF tweeted that this news was “huge.” The IFF has long criticized what it refers to as Boise State’s “social justice ideology,” according to its website. The organization argued that social justice ideology “cultivates anger and resentment among the supposedly aggrieved while undermining the social harmony and mutual toleration that lead to good citizenship and a prosperous, happy nation,” according to a brief available on its website.

Some said that there was a video of a white student who was “made to feel uncomfortable” during a conversation on white privilege in class. But university spokesperson Mike Sharp said the administration had not seen a video in which a student was degraded. Nevertheless, it chose to pause the course amid ongoing concerns, according to Inside Higher Ed. 

Outcome

University hires law firm to investigate student complaints

On March 22, 2021, Boise State retained the services of Hawley Troxell, a business law firm in Boise, to investigate students’ complaints, according to Idaho Education News. The funds to pay for a third-party investigation come from an existing university line item to handle bias or discrimination complaints, according to Sharp.

University resumes the course a week after suspending it

Boise State resumed the class March 24, 2021, though in a completely online and asynchronous format. Previously, classes were taking place synchronously, both in person and online, according to Idaho Education News.

The decision to resume the course was made in conjunction with Hawley Troxell, according to the Idaho Statesman.