College of South Florida’s affiliate VP caught scheming to keep away from DEI restrictions in Florida
Dr. Haywood Brown, the Affiliate Vice President of Tutorial Affairs on the College of South Florida (USF), is going through intense scrutiny after audio recordings surfaced wherein he described methods to bypass Florida’s anti-diversity, fairness, and inclusion (DEI) legal guidelines. The controversial remarks had been made throughout a presentation at Virginia Commonwealth College and had been later reported by Fox Information Digital on March 18, 2025.
Within the recordings, Dr. Brown discusses how he has continued to implement DEI insurance policies regardless of Florida’s rising restrictions on such applications. His statements have sparked outrage amongst critics of DEI, resulting in widespread requires motion from lawmakers and college officers alike.
The scheme to bypass restrictions
As reported by Fox Information, Dr. Brown brazenly admitted to utilizing inventive ways to keep away from complying with Florida’s state and federal legal guidelines concerning DEI initiatives. He revealed that his workplace at USF had rebranded a DEI workplace to concentrate on “cultural enrichment,” and he described how the workplace’s title was modified to “healthcare entry” to sidestep authorized restrictions. “We had it codified by our School Council and a activity power,” Brown stated within the leaked presentation. He added, “So long as it really works, that is what we do.”
Dr. Brown’s feedback additionally prolonged to criticisms of key figures akin to Stephen Miller, a White Home official identified for opposing DEI practices. Based on the leaked audio, Brown described Miller as somebody who had “tried to assault the College of South Florida.”
College response and state backlash
Upon studying of the feedback, USF positioned Dr. Brown on administrative go away to assessment the state of affairs. Nonetheless, Brown finally selected to resign. A college spokesperson instructed Fox Information that it had “disenchanted” and “troubled” by his remarks and emphasised that USF adheres to all state and federal legal guidelines.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ workplace responded swiftly to the revelations. “This particular person’s employment on the College of South Florida is over right this moment, and he’s not welcome to work in Florida training,” stated Bryan Griffin, Communications Director for DeSantis.
The controversy continues to stir debate over the way forward for DEI initiatives in Florida’s academic establishments.
