Lunchtime event set for March 28, 11:00am at California Science Center in Los Angeles

Top diversity, equity and inclusion scholars in higher education will come together to discuss the current challenging environment in higher education and offer their historical and policy insights into this issue at the 45th Pullias Lecture, set for Thursday, March 28 at 11am. The event will be held at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Registration is now open for the free, lunchtime event.

“Understanding and Navigating an Increasingly Hostile DEI Environment in Higher Education” is the topic of this year’s Lecture.

Moderated by Rossier School of Education Dean Pedro Noguera, the panel features a distinguished panel of national experts on DEI, including:
Eddie Cole, Associate Professor of Education and History, UCLA
Liliana Garces, Professor of Community College Leadership, University of Texas, Austin
Royel Johnson, Associate Professor of Higher Education, USC Rossier School of Education and a member of the Pullias Center faculty.

"This panel tackles one of the most timely and important challenges to equity in higher education with some of the foremost thinkers in the country," stated Pullias Center director Adrianna Kezar. "We invite all those interested in the changing DEI landscape to this year's Lecture."  

The recent attacks from the judiciary with the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action and the legislative attacks through Critical Race Theory bans, restrictions on DEI training, and calls for dismantling DEI offices, have left DEI champions and advocates in a challenging situation. Campus leaders fear that funding will be cut and their actions to support equity will be penalized. Many are preemptively making changes to avoid scrutiny from legislators. How can and should campus leaders move forward in this constrained environment that has emerged? And most importantly, how can we turn the current tide so that DEI efforts are not vulnerable to elimination?

The Pullias Center, a research center focused on advancing equity in higher education, offers a number of resources practitioners and administrators can access to address these questions, including our Shared Equity Leadership library of reports, as well as this op-ed by Pullias Center Director Adrianna Kezar in a recent issue of Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

The event is open to all members of the higher education community, including faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Free parking at the California Science Center is available with your registration.