An Indiana University class required students to determine their “privileged” and “dominant” identities—like being white or male—so that they could “address issues of oppression.” The mandatory exercise was part of a course that fulfills the school’s “social and historical studies” requirement needed to graduate.
Students were instructed to write an “in-depth reflection of two parts of [their] identity: one subordinate identity and one dominant identity,” according to documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. The final assignment for the eight-week course, worth 26 percent of the final grade, assumes that each student has at least one identity group that gives them power over their peers and another that leads to their oppression.
Students were given a chart showing examples of “dominant” identities—like being white—and “subordinate” identities—like being black—and separated them by “manifestations of social oppression,” such as classism, racism, and heterosexism. Effectively, the chart shows that straight, white, Christian males are dominant over everyone else. Or, put another way, everyone else is subordinate to straight, white, Christian males, according to the chart.
Some students, however, may find it difficult to find subordinate identities since the dominant traits are, in fact, predominant in America. One student told the Free Beacon about having had to “make something up” to complete the exercise.
“I’m being punished through an assignment for my identity as a person, and that’s just crazy,” the student said. “I had to make something up and I don’t enjoy doing that.”
“It’s very rich that in a class where we are supposed to be talking about identity and not suppressing identity, I’m forced to suppress my own identity,” the student continued. “I have to suppress myself because I’m presumed to be some privileged, horrible human being that didn’t grow up without food. That’s insane to me.”
After identifying the subordinate and dominant groups they belong to, students were tasked with reflecting on their privileges, listing the groups they held dominance over, and exploring ways to reshape their relationships with subordinate groups.
“You will gain insight into your experiences of identity in the U.S., including both advantages and disadvantages you have experienced related to these identities,” the instructions read. “Self-awareness of identity, as well as experiences of privilege and oppression, serve as the basis for understanding the complexity of identity and how you can address issues of oppression.”
The class, “Understanding Diversity in a Pluralistic Society,” fulfills Indiana University’s “social and historical studies” requirement. Other classes that suffice include “Ancient and Medieval Art” and “Introduction to Archaeology.”
The class, however, does not satisfy the “diversity in the United States” requirement for students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences. Classes that do fulfill the requirement include “Black Women in the Diaspora,” “American Ethnic Diversity,” and “Sexual Diversity.”
Colleen Rose, the course instructor, did not provide guidance on how students should complete the assignment if they do not identify with any “subordinate” groups, according to the student. She did, however, include an optional written note on a submission form allowing students to share concerns about the assignment. Rose, who “has close to 20 years of leadership experience in higher education with Indiana University,” also serves as the director of student engagement at the university’s Center for Rural Engagement, where she “leads student-based initiatives,” according to her online bio.
Rose did, however, encourage her students to avoid writing about “traumatizing” aspects of their identities.
“If it is sensitive for you to reflect about a particular aspect of your identity, choose something different,” the instructions read. “Sometimes students have trauma or other reasons that makes thinking about that identity difficult. This reflection should be constructive, not re-traumatizing.”
Indiana is one of six states that passed anti-DEI laws this year. In March, Indiana governor Eric Holcomb (R.) signed a bill that prohibits colleges from requiring diversity statements in hiring and admissions. It also mandates a formal complaint process for reporting faculty who do not foster intellectual diversity and free inquiry and requires tenured faculty as well as those up for promotion to undergo a review every five years to ensure compliance.
Meanwhile, the Equal Protection Project, an anti-discrimination group, in July filed a federal civil rights complaint against Indiana University that accuses the school of offering 19 race-based scholarships, potentially in violation of federal law. William Jacobson, the group’s president, told the Bloomington Herald-Times that the “pervasive discriminatory scholarship activity” reflects “a systemic disregard with not only the U.S. Constitution and the Civil Rights Act, but also Indiana University’s own rules.”
Indiana University and Rose did not respond to requests for comment.
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