Boise State faces questions over social justice programs

BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Boise State University faced questions from lawmakers about social justice programs on campus on Tuesday during their annual budget hearing.

“I was surprised to see, instead of a reduction or a tapering back of these programs, BSU created a new anti-racism center with social justice programming in their mission statement,” said Representative Ron Nate (R-Rexburg).

“So instead of a decrease, I’m actually seeing an increase in social justice programming. Am I missing something at Boise State?”

Nate says evidence for social justice programming on Boise State’s campus are entities like the student equity center.

Boise State President Dr. Marlene Tromp defended the presence of this program on campus.

“It aims to serve everything from our first-generation students, rural students, commuter students,” said Tromp. “So our program evolved, it doesn’t mean that we simply hatcheted away programming, we evolved many of our programs.”

She adds the university heard lawmakers’ concerns about social justice programming, and as a result, they have worked to ensure they don’t have programs funded by state dollars that are in conflict with those concerns.

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