Dr. Shaun Harper
The hearing, titled "Restoring Excellence: The Case Against DEI," came amid a national wave of anti-DEI legislation and executive orders that have dismantled programs across numerous college campuses. Harper's testimony directly challenged what he characterized as "baseless lies, misinformation, disinformation, and exaggerations about DEI."
"All of this destruction is the result of unsubstantiated claims about places [opponents] have never been," Harper told lawmakers. "As a citizen and scholar, I highly value and insist on evidence. As a matter of justice, the burden of proof must be on those who make erroneous, highly consequential cases against DEI."
Harper, who founded USC's Race and Equity Center, emphasized the importance of evidence-based policymaking rather than what he described as "political assaults on values that are fundamental to our nation and its educational institutions."
Throughout his testimony, Harper cited more than 50 years of consistent research confirming the educational benefits of DEI in American higher education. He referenced multiple peer-reviewed studies published in respected academic journals and books from university presses that document positive effects for all students, including white male collegians.
Harper highlighted data showing how engagement in DEI-related activities improves critical thinking skills, cognitive gains, and prejudice reduction. He also pointed out that DEI programs play crucial roles in campus safety and crisis response.
"DEI professionals play pivotal roles in campus recovery efforts in the aftermath of hate crimes and other tragedies," Harper noted, referencing the 2017 white nationalist rally at the University of Virginia. "In the absence of DEI professionals, it is unlikely that students, faculty, and staff on the Charlottesville campus would have received the necessary recovery resources."
