University of Missouri inclusive terminology guide ignores Hinduism

Hindus are upset at University of Missouri (Mizzou) ignoring Hinduism in its “inclusive terminology” guide for “learning about inclusive language”.

Available on Mizzou website, this guide’s “Faith and Religion” section defined some Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Atheist and Agnostic terms, but failed to mention any terms related to Hinduism.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that it seemed that Mizzou itself needed few lessons in diversity and inclusive before it embarked upon talking about “productive dialogue about diversity and inclusion” and launching an “inclusive terminology” guide.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, wondered how Mizzou simply ignored Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents (including about three million in the USA). Moreover, Mizzou had the considerable number of Hindu students and staff which would be directly affected by its policies, actions and misadventures.

On the one hand, Mizzou claimed: “Inclusive language furthers social and cultural diversity in a positive way”; while on the other hand it just ignored a considerable chunk of the population which it was trying to address. It simply cast doubt at the seriousness and sincerity of Mizzou regarding its claims of and commitment to “inclusive”, Rajan Zed added.

Zed urged Mizzou Interim Chancellor Dr. Hank Foley and Provost Dr. Garnett S. Stokes to issue an official apology and create an “honestly inclusive” “inclusive terminology” guide.

Founded in 1839, Mizzou in Columbia, which claims to be a "world-class research university", is a $2.2 billion enterprise.