Verizon ends DEI for FCC approval
Politics
Verizon ends DEI for FCC approval
May 23, 2025 | 4:29 PM GMT
The FCC approved Verizon's $10B acquisition of Frontier a day after the company told Chair Brendan Carr it would end its DEI programs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
University of Florida board rejects hiring Michigan's president after he changed DEI policy to appease Trump
The board that oversees Florida's state university system voted against hiring Dr. Santa Ono, the former president of the University of Michigan, after he seemingly switched his stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion to appease President Donald Trump. The State University System Board of Governors' 6-10 vote against Ono came after hours of contentious debate and grilling of the academic over his previous position on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Ono, who received unanimous approval from the University of Florida Board of Trustees, was mainly questioned Tuesday about his recently changed stance on DEI, and how he would uphold Florida's agenda against DEI. The longtime academic's proposed contract included ideological requirements. In the role, he would be forced to cooperate with Gov. Ron DeSantis' Office of Government Efficiency and appoint other university officials who are 'firmly aligned' with Florida's approach. Ono was the sole finalist for the job, which would have paid him a $3 million annual package that included a $1.5 million base salary, the Florida Phoenix reported. However, on Tuesday, members of the board of governors were fixated on Ono's suddenly different stance on DEI, with some calling into question whether he switched sides to appease Trump or simply to get the gig. 'It's insidious that it feels like pushing a rope uphill when we establish these policies, if a president doesn't really believe in those policies,' Board of Governors Vice Chair Alan Levine said during the meeting in Orlando. 'And it's a powerful position — you can be an inhibitor, or you can help advance. And so I guess so much of your record reflects your deeply held beliefs, that you have been an advocate of DEI up until recently.' Ono had supported DEI initiatives at the University of Michigan until shuttering some of its programs earlier this year — a move some thought had to do with Trump's stripping of federal funding from universities. 'It looks to me like you got rid of the program because you needed to do what you had to do with the president's orders and the funding issues. But you didn't really push to get rid of DEI,' Levine said. Ono repeatedly told the board that he began looking at DEI when he took office at Michigan, instead of after Trump's executive order against it. He claimed he developed a new stance in the last year and a half after talking with students, and said that before, he was not an expert on the subject. Even still, his record left many conservative politicians unimpressed, including Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who wrote on X that it seemed Ono 'is willing to appease and prioritize far-left activists over ensuring students are protected and receive a quality education.' Other members of the GOP raising objections to Ono's hiring included Donald Trump Jr., Florida Republican U.S. Reps. Byron Donalds, Greg Steube and Jimmy Patronis. Ono was also questioned Tuesday by former Republican state House speakers Paul Renner and Jose Oliva, who wondered whether Ono changed his stance just to secure the Florida job. 'Now we are told to believe you are now abandoning an entire ideological architecture,' Oliva said. 'We are asking someone to lead our flagship university. I don't understand how it becomes unfair.' The intense degree of questioning from governors was not standard procedure, and it was the first time they had rejected a president, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Ono previously defended his change of heart in Inside Higher Ed, writing that he supported DEI at first because he thought the aim was 'equal opportunity and fairness for every student.' 'But over time, I saw how DEI became something else – more about ideology, division and bureaucracy, not student success,' Ono wrote. 'I believe in Florida's vision for higher education.' Now, the months-long search will have to restart. The University of Florida remains without a permanent president, with former UF President Kent Fuchs holding the role in the interim. With reporting from the Associated Press
News24
an hour ago
- News24
‘The end of our industry': Meshack Mavuso slams influencer casting in SA entertainment
Supplied Be among those who shape the future with knowledge. Uncover exclusive stories that captivate your mind and heart with our FREE 14-day subscription trial. Dive into a world of inspiration, learning, and empowerment. You can only trial once. Start your FREE trial now Show Comments ()
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Verizon Business launches Vehicle-to-Everything connected-driving platform with multiple customers
is an integrated mobile-network vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication platform that allows a vehicle to communicate with other connected vehicles, road users, and infrastructure around it. , , , and are already signed on as commercial users. What you need to know: Edge Transportation Exchange leverages Verizon's 5G and LTE networks, low-latency mobile edge computing (MEC), and geolocation technology to send alerts, messages and data between connected vehicles and infrastructure in near real time. Acts as an ecosystem enabler, offering automakers, technology developers, and governments a foundation for the development of intelligent transportation use cases. Current use cases include vulnerable road user awareness, roadway and weather condition alerts, and intersection traffic-signal information to help improve traffic efficiency and enable safer road use. Uses a virtual architecture that reduces the need for costly physical roadside units, alleviating financial burdens for DOTs and municipal governments. NEW YORK, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verizon Business has commercially launched Edge Transportation Exchange, a mobile-network vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication platform for connected vehicles, with multiple customers already signed on. Following a successful 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) joint demonstration, the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), Rutgers University Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT), and Volkswagen Group of America (VW) have begun using the platform. The Edge Transportation Exchange solution allows vehicles to communicate and share important data with each other, pedestrians, and connected roadway infrastructure such as traffic signals, in near real time. The 5GAA joint demonstration included use cases such as informing drivers about vulnerable road users, dangerous weather and roadway conditions, and traffic signal phase and timing at intersections. In addition to these capabilities, Edge Transportation Exchange serves as an API-driven platform for collaborative innovation between automakers, technology developers, and municipal governments, who can leverage the mobile-network V2X technology to scale existing connected solutions or innovate new technology for road-user safety and satisfaction. Development and collaboration is convenient and centralized through the Verizon ThingSpace IoT platform. 'Cars are evolving from mechanical vehicles to software-defined mobile devices with the ability to leverage incredible connected technology. Edge Transportation Exchange leverages that technology to give automakers, governments, and tech developers a robust platform for building out the cellular-connected future of transportation -- with visibility and reliability for all road users top of mind,' said Shamik Basu, Vice President, Strategic Connectivity & IoT, Verizon Business. The robust integrated solution combines Verizon's 5G and LTE mobile networks, Verizon 5G Edge mobile edge compute, and geolocation technology enhanced with Verizon Hyper Precise Location. It uses a virtual architecture that reduces the need for costly physical roadside radio units, alleviating financial burdens for DOTs and municipal governments. The data and communication capabilities from these combined technologies and environments contribute to a feature-rich, mobile network-based V2X ecosystem that users can leverage for near term applications and long term innovation at scale. How Users are Deploying Edge Transportation Exchange ACA was first to sign on as a platform partner for Edge Transportation Exchange, advancing from trial use to production. ACA is Arizona's leading economic development organization, working collaboratively with the University of Arizona, the Arizona Department of Transportation, and the Maricopa County Department of Transportation and state and local agencies to develop new use cases and leverage existing ones -- including pedestrian detection and upcoming work zone notifications -- to make Arizona roadway users safer and better connected. DelDOT is conducting technical testing across multiple communication technologies and architectures to optimize V2X message delivery. Primary use cases being studied include red-light warnings, water-on-road warnings, and vulnerable road user (VRU) alerts to drivers. VW will explore use cases such as pedestrian awareness and payment applications for expedited tolling. Rutgers University CAIT is deploying Edge Transportation Exchange at the DataCity Smart Mobility Testing Ground, a collaborative program with Middlesex County and in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The 2.5-mile living laboratory is equipped with self-driving-grade sensing, computing, and V2X communication technologies to facilitate the testing of Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) and Smart City technologies. Rutgers CAIT is using the platform to further develop virtualized cellular messaging architectures for cost-effective support of multiple CAV applications, including intersection safety, congestion mitigation, queue warning, and incident and work zone management. Rutgers CAIT is also researching school-zone safety applications, utilizing Edge Transportation Exchange to help deliver near real-time alerts to pedestrians and incoming vehicles at intersections with heavy school crossings, improving safety for K-12 students, their families, and crossing Comments 'We're excited to continue our partnership with Verizon Business on the Edge Transportation Exchange platform to increase safety on Arizona roadways. Arizona is proud to be at the forefront of automotive technology advancements,' said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. 'VW considers it critical to be fluent in V2X communication systems. Leveraging our connected-vehicle technology ensures we stay ahead of the curve and offer our customers the latest feature sets for their safety, as well as the safety of others near the vehicle,' said Frank Weith, Engineering Director for Connected Infotainment, VW Group of America. 'Safety alerts and frictionless payments are two great examples enabled by mobile-network V2X, and VW is excited to be working with Verizon Business to innovate for the connected future of driving.' 'We're excited for the opportunity to enhance transportation safety in Delaware with the latest technology. We see Edge Transportation Exchange as a cost-effective and scalable way to deliver real-time information to drivers, pedestrians, and road users of all kinds. With this technology, we're eager to continue working to benefit travelers throughout the state,' said Gene Donaldson, DelDOT Traffic Management Center Operations Manager. 'We see Edge Transportation Exchange as a platform with wide applicability to the auto-tech R&D process,' said Dr. Peter Jin, Associate Professor from Rutgers University and the Principal Investigator of the DataCity Smart Mobility Testing Ground, a Middlesex County-Rutgers CAIT collaborative program. 'The solution puts tremendous power in our hands for innovating, testing, and refining solutions with the potential for national scale, which is a thrilling proposition. We're excited for the opportunity to use Edge Transportation Exchange to help keep road users safe and traffic flowing optimally.'More on Edge Transportation Exchange For more information about Edge Transportation Exchange, click here. Contact your Verizon Business sales representative to get started today. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) powers and empowers how its millions of customers live, work and play, delivering on their demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity and security. Headquartered in New York City, serving countries worldwide and nearly all of the Fortune 500, Verizon generated revenues of $134.8 billion in 2024. Verizon's world-class team never stops innovating to meet customers where they are today and equip them for the needs of tomorrow. For more, visit or find a retail location at VERIZON'S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit Media contact:Matt in to access your portfolio
