Stanford marketing course requiring DEI statement to enroll

Requiring students to make a DEI statement to qualify for a course is “inappropriate” and could cross the line of compelled speech, according to a Brookings expert.

Stanford University is requiring those applying to enroll in the school’s Global Entrepreneurial Marketing course offered by the Department of Management Science and Engineering to make a diversity and inclusion statement.

“Diversity is an important part of the mission of the Stanford MS&E Department and this class,” the required diversity & inclusion statement question states. “Please use this opportunity to describe how you will contribute to a culture of diversity and inclusion in this class.”

The course’s question was posted by Jonathan Rauch on his X account. “Here's what some @Stanford engineering instructors are requiring of prospective students for course enrollment,” Rauch said.

Rauch acquired the screenshot of the question from “a member of the Stanford community,” he told The Center Square.

Jonathan Rauch is a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institute, has authored eight books, and writes for The Atlantic, according to his Brookings bio.

“It is inappropriate to require students to make a statement about their commitment to diversity and inclusion in order to qualify for a course,” Rauch told The Center Square.

“While Stanford as a whole should expect students to conduct themselves in a civil, respectful manner, conditioning participation in academic programs or activities on social or political commitments treads dangerously close to compelled speech, if it does not actually cross that line,” Rauch said.

“Moreover (and unfortunately), the term ‘diversity and inclusion,’ in today’s academic context, has acquired controversial political overtones which students may justifiably hesitate to endorse,” Rauch said. “A student could reasonably conclude that the teachers of this course intend to screen out students who disagree with them politically.”

“Stanford should tell these teachers to cut it out,” Rauch said.

The requirement is in place despite the university recently announcing an institutional neutrality policy.

The course description reads: “skills needed to market new technology-based products to customers around the world. Case method discussions. Cases include startups and global high tech firms.”

The course themes are listed as, “marketing toolkit, targeting markets and customers, product marketing and management, partners and distribution, sales and negotiation, and outbound marketing.”

The course also states that its enrollment is limited and its admission is by application.

The Center Square reached out for comment twice each to the listed course instructors, professor Lynda Smith and professor Thomas Kosnik. Neither responded.

The Center Square also reached out to Stanford’s school of engineering’s dean Jennifer Widom and director of public relations Jill Wu twice each. Neither responded.