DEI programs are exorbitantly expensive and divisive. It's time for conservatives to fight back. | Read Intercollegiate Review every Thursday for the best of intellectual conservative thought.

Email not displaying correctly?

View it in your browser

[link removed]

.



[link removed]

CATEGORY: EDUCATION (5 MIN)

Money pit

[link removed]

Nearly every public educational institution now employs a mass of officials dedicated to “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI). Of course, much of the diversity and inclusion they pursue may come at the cost of equity for students who supposedly don’t contribute much to a diverse environment. There’s a more obvious cost too: money.

In the Substack OpenTheBooks

[link removed]

, Adam Andrzejewski unveils the expense of DEI bureaucrats at the University of Virginia. Andrzejewski finds that UVA employs at least 235 people under the DEI heading, and he records their cost to taxpayers at a whopping $20 million (in salary and benefits). He contrasts this situation to the University of Florida, which recently shut down its DEI department, saving Floridians millions.

Andrzejewski notes that UVA has consistently misrepresented the number of DEI workers it employs. He points to two statements from last year claiming the school only had 40 and 55 DEI employees. Instead, its behemoth department requires funding equivalent to nearly 1,000 undergraduate students’ tuition.

Andrzejewski also lists some of the most lucrative DEI positions. The highest paid DEI employee makes nearly $600,000 when accounting for benefits, which is more than triple the pay of the Governor of Virginia. Andrzejewski blasts UVA for sending this much money to what he calls “anti-American notions and radical philosophies.”

Do you agree? Read the full article

[link removed]

to learn more.

Read Now

[link removed]

Weekly Poll

RESULTS: 3/7/24

Last week, we asked: Do you think religion should have a place in public life or should it be sequestered to an individual's private life? Here are the results:

[A] Religion should be able to influence public institutions - 81.2%

[B] Religion should only impact one's private life - 15.6%

[C] Unsure - 3.1%

Should conservatives try to dismantle DEI initiatives?

[A] Yes

[B] No

[C] Unsure

[link removed]

[link removed]

CATEGORY: PEOPLE (11 MIN)

Tesla’s titan

[link removed]

In many ways, the story of the past few years has been defined by extremely wealthy individuals who sought to change something about America with the help of their power and influence. Donald Trump ran for president and launched a political seismic shift. And Elon Musk, the South African billionaire, bought one of the most popular social media sites in the world.

Given Musk’s prevalence in the news, it’s not surprising that a new biography has recently emerged: Elon Musk, by Walter Isaacson. Helen Andrews reviewed the book for the Claremont Review of Books

[link removed]

. Andrews says the book presents an honest picture of Musk, who was very open about his failings and shortcomings.

Andrews travels down the thread of Musk’s life along with Isaacson. They start with his childhood in South Africa, debunking claims about his family’s potential racism and inheritance of a tainted fortune. They describe the rise of Tesla and Musk’s innovations which led to his company’s ascent to the top of the electric vehicle market. And they then discuss Musk’s takeover of Twitter, now branded X.

Andrews sees a political shift in Musk throughout this process. He went from a full-on progressive to at least an anti-woke liberal with a strong pro-natalist bent. And Andrews thinks he could even become conservative, especially with all the attacks he’s recently faced.

Read her entire review right here

[link removed]

.

Read Now

[link removed]

[link removed]

CATEGORY: PODCAST EPISODE

The Dark Side of FDR | David Beito

[link removed]

Join us in this eye-opening podcast with historian David Beito and Tom Sarrouf as they delve into Beito's latest book, The New Deal's War on the Bill of Rights. Prepare to be shocked as he exposes the astonishing lengths FDR and New Dealers went to suppress freedom of speech, privacy, and civil rights.

Discover the concealed truths behind this era, revealing a side of history often overshadowed by pro-FDR propaganda. Don't miss this revealing discussion that challenges historical narratives!

Texts Mentioned:

The New Deal’s War on the Bill of Rights

[link removed]

by David Beito

From Mutual Aid to the Welfare State

[link removed]

by David Beito

T.R.M. Howard

[link removed]

by David Beito

Watch Now

[link removed]

[link removed]

CATEGORY: PODCAST EPISODE

The Gateway to Statesmanship | Johnny Burtka

[link removed]

​​​​​​

Is there a “shortcut to greatness,” and what courage is needed for the future to ensure a prosperous America?

Dive into the profound topic of statesmanship and its timeless significance in an exclusive interview with John Burtka on The Kevin Roberts Show. In this enlightening discussion, President and CEO of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, John A. Burtka, unveils timeless lessons from his latest book, Gateway to Statesmanship

[link removed]

. Join the conversation as he explores the core of statesmanship, drawing inspiration from historical luminaries like Xenophon, Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, Erasmus, Niccolo Machiavelli, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and more.

Explore how this anthology goes beyond politics, offering a holistic study of the human experience in thought and action. Gateway to Statesmanship

[link removed]

isn't just a compilation of writings; it's a journey through ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and modern scholarship, providing profound insights into the choices that guide lives and shape character.

Watch Now

[link removed]

​​

[link removed]

​​

Conservative ​​​​Book of the Year Award Ceremony and Reception

​​​March 15th, 2024

The Intercollegiate Studies Institute proudly announces Chris Rufo as the winner of the 2024 Conservative Book of the Year Award for his exceptional work, America’s Cultural Revolution: How the Radical Left Conquered Everything. This book stands as a beacon of insightful analysis and thought-provoking commentary in today’s dynamic cultural landscape.

Join us for an evening of recognition and celebration

[link removed]

at the prestigious National Press Club on Friday, March 15, as we honor the Conservative Book of the Year. The ceremony will commence at 6 PM, starting with a cocktail hour from 6:00 – 7:00 PM that offers attendees a chance to mingle and discuss the thought-provoking works of our finalists. The award ceremony and acceptance speech will follow from 7:00 – 8:00 PM.

Join us in Washington, DC >>>

[link removed]

​​

[link removed]

​​

An Evening with Brian Kilmeade on Teddy Roosevelt & ​​​​Booker T. Washington

​​​April 16th, 2024

Join ISI on Tuesday, April 16th at an exclusive evening with celebrated author Brian Kilmeade

[link removed]

that promises to transport you back to the pivotal moments that shaped our nation. Kilmeade’s latest book, Teddy and Booker T.: How Two American Icons Blazed a Path for Racial Equality, offers a compelling look at the intertwined lives of Booker T. Washington and Teddy Roosevelt.

Visit ISI's historic 20-acre estate just two hours north of Washington, DC, in Delaware's Brandywine Valley. Sponsors will be invited to an exclusive VIP reception with Kilmeade and receive a signed copy of the book. Reserve your tickets and explore sponsorship opportunities at isi.org/kilmeade

[link removed]

.

We look forward to seeing you at ISI this spring for an evening of historical discovery and intellectual delight!

Join us in Wilmington, DE >>>

[link removed]

Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.

Students see program cuts at Valparaiso University as threat to Christian heritage

[link removed]

via The Collegiate Commons

“Valparaiso University, a historic Lutheran college in northwest Indiana, announced last Friday that it may cut 18 undergraduate and 10 graduate programs according to a memo

[link removed]

sent to faculty and staff by Valparaiso Provost Dr. Eric Johnson. The theology program is one of many at risk... Many students, however, see the proposed cuts as direct threats to the existence of Valparaiso as a Lutheran institution...”

Lecture Examines the State of Free Speech at Cornell

[link removed]

via Cornell Review

“On February 1, 2024, Robert C Platt ‘73 addressed the State of Free Speech at Cornell in Myron Taylor Hall... ’Our overall goal is to maximize the amount of free speech in a healthy academic environment,’ said Platt.”

Interrupting University Events Is Not Free Speech

[link removed]

via The Stanford Review

“Notice that the disruption of school activities is not listed as unprotected speech. Yet, per university policy

[link removed]

, it is a violation for students to ‘prevent or disrupt the effective carrying out of a University function or approved activity,’ such as the Family Weekend event. Does Stanford’s rule against disruptive protests—and its disciplinary action against the pro-Palestine activists—contradict the First Amendment, and thus the Leonard Law?”

BYU Ignores Student Complaints Against ‘Black Menaces’ for Months, Other Complaints Addressed Immediately

[link removed]

via The Cougar Chronicle

“After multiple videos by the Black Menaces [student activist organization] surfaced in the early weeks of the Fall 2023 semester, several students and former subjects of videos by the Black Menaces filed complaints to BYU’s Office of Belonging. Many of these complaints outlined concerns with the nature of the videos conducted by the Black Menaces, including their potential infringement on BYU’s Filming and Photography Policy

[link removed]

. After several of the complaints were submitted, the Office of Belonging did not reach out to any of the students for months, except to one who proactively emailed the Office to make an appointment.”​​​​​​

CATEGORY: CULTURE (9 MIN)

Intentional insurgency

[link removed]

The fires of the critical race theory debate, although somewhat out of the spotlight this year, continue to rage in schools across our nation. Many mainstream journalists simply praise CRT using progressive talking points. But a few brave independent investigators have looked behind the curtain to expose its weaknesses and corruption.

From our Modern Age

[link removed]

website, Christopher Rufo, one of these investigators, reveals the true nature of CRT and its relationship with Marxism. He does so in an excerpt from his new book, America’s Cultural Revolution: How the Radical Left Conquered Everything, which won ISI’s 2024 Conservative Book of the Year Award

[link removed]

.

Rufo breaks down the underlying philosophies which led to the development of CRT. The academics who launched the movement saw the West as corrupt and fallen, so they planned a system which would overturn the old order and attack the very bases of logic and rationality itself.

“This is the nebulous epistemological foundation of critical race theory: personal offense becomes objective reality; evidence gives way to ideology; identity replaces rationality as the basis of intellectual authority,” Rufo writes.

To learn more about CRT’s birth and doctrine, read Rufo’s article here

[link removed]

.

Read Now

[link removed]

Thought of the Day:



“I began to suspect that Daddy had been right all along: The only hope I had of changing the world was to change myself first. I thought of the many times that he and I had delivered fresh-picked farm produce to one of our elderly relatives. On such occasions he never failed to remind me that if we hadn’t worked so hard to grow it, we wouldn’t be able to give it to those who needed help.”

- Clarence Thomas

​​​​

Join ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club

It’s never been easier for you to support our mission—and stay part of our community—with ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club!

For just $19.53 a month, you can join the fight and “pay it forward” by educating the next generation for ordered liberty.

Join the Club

[link removed]



Follow on Twitter Friend on Facebook Forward to Friend

Copyright © 2024, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:

Intercollegiate Studies Institute

3901 Centerville Road

Wilmington, DE 19807

unsubscribe from all emails

[link removed]

update subscription preferences

[link removed]