A professor and faculty leader at the University of Tennessee Knoxville admitted in undercover footage that the school is clandestinely pushing diversity, equity, and inclusion, despite its presence in a conservative state.

Casey Barrio Minton, a professor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville and the department head for counselor education, said on camera that the college’s “Access and Engagement” office is largely functioning like the former “Diversity and Inclusion” office, according to the undercover video released by The Daily Wire on Tuesday.

“They practice DEI?” Minton was asked.

“They do,” she answered. “They do many of the same things.”

The professor added, “I haven’t noticed a big shift in the programming. I haven’t noticed a big shift of climate on campus beyond trying to ride the waves.”

Minton claimed that the school was correctly navigating federal expectations, despite multiple executive orders from President Donald Trump against diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in recent months.

“The law essentially says you can’t force DEI training on staff or whatnot. And they also say no student shall be penalized for their failure to subscribe to any of these beliefs, right?” Minton added in the video.

Exclusive video shows a University of Tennessee department head boasting about DEI flying under the radar in a red state. pic.twitter.com/QHFLx5anit

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) July 29, 2025

“So, some people took that to mean you can’t teach about racism or systemic oppression or privilege. That was the interpretation. That’s not what the law says.”

Minton added that because “most of the fireworks that are happening are happening in very blue areas,” she is not concerned with the federal government opposing such policies in the state of Tennessee.

She even mentioned that the school still has gender-neutral bathrooms.

“The inclusive restrooms are ‘All Vol’ restrooms, like a single stall, inclusive, accessible restroom,” Minton said in reference to the school mascot, the Volunteers.

“We had a number of trans students, so there became an initiative to convert a small restroom to be an ‘All Vol’ restroom,” she remarked.

Randy Boyd, the president of the University of Tennessee Knoxville, said in a statement that was sent to The Daily Wire that the school’s “Access and Engagement” office is meant to “support academic access, foster community partnerships and promote merit-based student success.”

“These efforts are directly aligned with our System’s Statement of Aspirations, which commits us to removing barriers to educational opportunity and ensuring every Tennessean has the chance to succeed,” Boyd continued.

“Let me be clear: access and engagement is not DEI in disguise,” he insisted. “All our work must and will remain fully compliant with state and federal law.”

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