Keith’s note: I just got this from USRA/LPI: “Dear Colleagues, We have heard from many of you and understand that there is significant concern among the planetary science community regarding the removal of DEI content from USRA/LPI websites. Please know that we did not make that decision lightly. We were doing our best to comply with our understanding of the Administration’s directives (specifically, Executive Order 14173) and the deadline it set for compliance.”
Much of the feedback we have received is based on misunderstandings and inaccurate information, so we thought it would be best to address this by explaining the facts, including the process we used to identify and remove DEI-related content. To this end, we have prepared some detailed questions and answers that we hope will address and allay your concerns and help you understand our perspective. Please understand that our staff, whom you know from LPSCs, AG meetings, and other community meetings, has been working diligently on this effort.
As always, we are committed to serving both NASA and the entire planetary science community with the utmost professionalism and integrity.
Sincerely,
Elsayed Talaat
President and CEO, USRA
