"A Happy Medium": Coleman Defends DEI Training, Talks Trump Administration

Mathew Biadun | News-Editor

As has been the case for several years, all Eastern students once again completed mandatory DEI and Title IX training over the summer. This online training, carried out by Vector and compromising multiple videos and question-segments, has been commonplace for several years, and is sent to students over email in the summer. Student responses have been mixed.

A poll posted on Fizz shortly before the semester asked students about the training, and garnered 2,135 total responses. The question asked, “Do you guys think we should just get rid of the annoying annual Vector DEI/Title IX Training?’ Of the responses, 1160 (55%) said ‘Yes’, 480 (22%) said ‘No’, and 495 (23%) simply hit the button for ‘Results’.

One student in a repost argued against the training, saying, “Its honestly really insulting. They think I don’t know how to conduct myself as a normal human being”. Another defended the training, arguing, “Tho it may feel tedious and redundant to many of us, someone out there has probably reflected and improved their actions bc of it. Idk if it’s the best method to educate ppl on these subjects tho.” 

Several students suggested the training could use alterations or reform, such as making it a one-time training only, rather than being repeated annually.

That may not be such a simple change, however. In an interview with the Campus Lantern, Vice President of Equity and Diversity LaMar Coleman spoke about the training. The Title IX training, he explained, was mandated by the state to be conducted annually, meaning it was not within Eastern’s jurisdiction to change. The DEI training is required for all state employees, per Connecticut law, but that Eastern does have more discretion when it comes to student training. 

“There are two different factions of students,” Vice President Coleman said. The first faction was a large reason behind the training’s introduction. In 2020, a coalition of student organizations led by the Eastern NAACP* drafted a Call to Action, sending a list of policy demands to the administration. One of those was:

“That the university creates and implements mandatory cultural responsive trainings for faculty, staff and students, including:

-Explicit and implicit bias, diversity, racial discrimination, hate crimes, and the consequences of such acts.

-Review their effectiveness yearly and make progressive changes as necessary based on the reviews.”

Vice President Coleman said that the original desire was for annual in-person meetings. But in order to compromise with the second faction, those who don’t want training at all, they were made virtual. When asked about this faction and their complaints about the trainings, Vice President Coleman posed a counter.

“We could stick our heads in the sand and do nothing…but is that really upholding the values of Eastern Connecticut State University?” Comparing the two groups, he says that the training must reach a “happy medium” between the two ‘factions’.

Vice President Coleman was also asked about the Trump administration, which has released statements opposing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs. When asked if he was worried, he said, “I don’t know if worried is the correct way to put it. But we’re certainly cautious, and,” he paused, “...maybe worried is the right way to put it.” He went on to say that Congress had not yet passed any legislation that would affect Eastern. However, he and his department were ‘carefully monitoring’ the administration and being wary of any changes.

LaMar Coleman had previously served as Eastern’s Director of Housing & Residential Life between 2012 and 2021, when he says President Nunez approached him to fill the recently vacated position of Vice President of Equity and Inclusion. He had previously served as a Title IX Hearing Officer, and on the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which he says prepared him for the role.

“It’s heavy work that can weigh on you a bit,” Coleman admitted, mentioning that a lot of the work was dealing with matters of harassment or complaints. “We do our best for both parties to leave with a feeling of resolve, and that they were treated fairly.” He said that some of his plans for the year were to create a Campus Diversity & Inclusion Pledge, to ‘keep a finger on the pulse of the campus environment’, and to create an employee book club on the book Equity Talk to Equity Walk.

*The Call to Action was written by the Eastern NAACP in 2020. In addition to their E-Board, the paper was signed by the President of M.A.L.E.S., Fashion Forward, the Caribbean Student Association, DiversAbility, the African Club of Eastern, the Black Student Union, the Natural Hair Club, Women in Business, the Muslim Student Association, Student at Eastern, United Voices of Praise, the Organization of Latin American Students, Pride Alliance, F.E.M.A.L.E.S, the Asian Cultural Society, the Anime Club, 180 Christian Fellowship, Best Buddies, and Eastern’s chapter of the National Organization for Women. The form can be found here:

letter to action 2020 (1).pdf

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