Letter Regarding DEI Training for Federal Employees
The Trump Administration eliminated federal funding for certain types of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training for federal employees through a September 4 “Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies” from Russell T. Vought, Director of the US Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President, and the September 22 “Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping.”
SOT is a signatory on an October 7, 2020, letter to Mr. Vought urging the Administration to reconsider this position, stating that the memorandum and Executive Order “do a disservice to our community and research itself by wrongfully linking DEI trainings to the notion that anyone is inherently racist or sexist. While evidence-based DEI trainings are not impacted by these actions, wrongfully insinuating that DEI trainings are inherently anti-American sends a message of division, intolerance and subjectivity that is damaging to our R&D community.” The full letter is available on the “SOT Statements” web page of the SOT website.
FASEB Comments on Proposed Rule Change for F and J Visas
On October 15, 2020, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)—of which SOT is a member—submitted comments to the Acting Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security regarding “Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media (DHS Docket No. ICEB-2019-0006).” In the comments, FASEB expressed concern that “the proposed rule change would impose additional burdens on international scholars and threaten our nation’s competitiveness by discouraging future scientists from pursuing educational programs in the U.S. and performing the cutting-edge research vital for biomedical progress.” The full comments are available on the FASEB website.