Committee revives campus ‘intellectual diversity’ measure

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) – South Dakota lawmakers have resuscitated a measure seeking to promote “intellectual diversity” on college campuses.

The Senate State Affairs Committee voted 7-2 Monday to revive the bill, which the panel had voted down last week. Republican Sen. Al Novstrup, who pushed to reconsider the measure, says the sponsor and the Board of Regents want more time to talk.

Regents CEO and Executive Director Paul Beran says he’d rather have a cooperative approach than a hostile approach with the Legislature.

The discussions come as the University of South Dakota is investigating after the Student Bar Association changed the name of an event from “Hawaiian Day” to “Beach Day” because it was advised by administrators that it violated the school’s inclusiveness policy.

The panel is scheduled Wednesday to debate Rep. Sue Peterson’s bill.

AP-WF-03-05-19