Regent removed from NSHE inclusion committee after comments
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Regent Donald McMichael Sr. has been kicked off a committee devoted to inclusion after his remark that Jewish students should develop “tougher skin,” suggesting they “take a ticket and get in line.”
The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) informed McMichael of the decision on Thursday.
The IDEA Committee (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access) reports to the Chancellor and includes representatives from each NSHE institution. Its task is to recommend goals, policies, practices, related strategies and accountability measures.
A letter to McMichael dated June 20 and released to the media said:
Regent McMichael,
This letter is to inform you that after careful consideration and further discussion with you, we have made the decision to remove you from the IDEA Committee. While we realize your comments at the recent quarterly meeting were your own words that represent your experience, they did not reflect or uphold the ideals of inclusion and equity that are integral to the foundation of the charter and charge of the IDEA committee.
The letter is signed by Board of Regents Chair Amy J. Carvalho and Vice Chair Jeffrey S. Downs, Ph.D.
McMichael lost the Nevada primary election, finishing fourth in District 4, meaning he will no longer serve on the board come January.
McMichael’s comments followed controversy surrounding pro-Palestinian protests on the UNLV campus and came as NSHE discussed updating its policy on discrimination.
“I can’t go around campus and say I’m not black. I can’t change my skin color,” McMichael said at a June 17 board meeting. “When it comes to this particular issue, I really think that some groups really need to take a ticket and get in line.”
McMichael went on to say he wants a similar “definition” for Native Americans, blacks, and “Mexican-Americans.”
“We have a small group of people because they were set upon in WWII, have the notion that they can set themselves up, in a higher position than anyone else in the United States,” McMichael said.
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