4 minute read
Utah DEI ban forces closure of LGBTQ+ centers
In a sweeping response to Utah’s new anti-DEI legislation, public colleges and universities across the state have started closing LGBTQ and other cultural resource centers. This move aligns with trends seen in other states like Florida and Texas, where similar laws have prompted broad changes in higher education.
The University of Utah announced it shut down three cultural and resource centers, including the LGBT Resource Center, following the implementation of the state’s DEI ban. This decision is part of a larger pattern of compliance with a law requiring the elimination of any programs, offices, or practices deemed “discriminatory.”
The guidance from the Utah System of Higher Education elaborates that anything excluding individuals based on their identities falls under this definition. Despite this, many institutions are choosing to close these centers, following precedents set in states like Florida and Texas.
LEGISLATIVE INTENT AND UNIVERSITY ACTIONS
When Utah’s HB 261 was signed into law in January, it was perceived as a balanced approach. Atlantic staff writer Conor Friedersdorf praised it for its compromises, noting that it would allow the University of Utah’s Black Cultural Center to remain open. However, while the center’s physical space stays accessible, its website has been dismantled, and its resources have been relocated, reducing it to more of a gathering space than a functional cultural center.
Five out of Utah’s six public universities dissolved or will dissolve at least one cultural or resource center due to the new law.
Utah Valley University declined to comment on the matter.
The ban on DEI programs has seen a rapid spread across the U.S., with similar laws taking effect in Indiana, Kansas, Wyoming, and Utah on July 1. These laws typically result in the closure of cultural and resource centers, often due to clauses prohibiting offices promoting certain identity-related ideologies.
IMPACT ON LGBTQ CENTERS AND COMMUNITIES
The closure of LGBTQ centers has raised significant concerns about the impact on minority students. Harry Hawkins, the former director of the University of Utah’s LGBT Resource Center, described a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ students even before HB 261. He criticized the administration for not taking input from DEI officials and for delaying the announcement of changes.
“I was pushing these points and just constantly shut down,” Hawkins said. “I just want to say to our students, ‘I promise, there were many of us who were trying.’”
The University of Utah plans to introduce new centers to replace the resource centers, but Hawkins is unsure if scholarships and mentorships provided through the LGBT Resource Center will continue in their previous form.
“We would work with our recipients, and you could see the effects immediately. The students, you could tell, were having a great experience,” he said. “I don’t know, with the new model, if that’s what they’re going to do.”
REACTIONS FROM OTHER INSTITUTIONS
At Utah Tech University, the Center for Inclusion and Belonging is closing. Mike Nelson, the center’s director, is transitioning to a new role but expressed sadness over the change. Juan Alvarez, president of the university’s Latinx Student Alliance, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the inclusivity of their events and criticizing the legislators for their lack of research.
Southern Utah University is dissolving its Center for Diversity and Inclusion and the Q Center, redirecting student organizations to become independent or university-sponsored clubs.
Utah State University is moving programs from its Inclusion Center to the Academic Enterprise office while maintaining some cultural centers pending state approval.
Weber State University is replacing its Division of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion with a new Student Success Center, aiming to continue supporting students despite significant changes.
“Weber State’s commitment to student success remains unchanged,” a university spokesperson stated. “The Student Success Center will strive to identify students’ unique needs and help them reach their goals.”
LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSPECTIVES
Katy Hall, the Republican state representative who sponsored the bill, emphasized that the legislation did not mandate the closure of these centers but understood why some universities chose to do so.
“The intention of the law is to promote student success for all students and ensure that support and services are available to everyone,” Hall said to trade journal Inside Higher Ed. “I hope that students who benefited from these centers will still receive the support they need.”
Utah’s higher education commissioner, Geoff Landward, acknowledged the value of cultural centers and expressed hope to preserve cultural education in the long term. He mentioned the possibility of creating a systemwide multicultural center to fill the gap left by the closures. However, he also noted that the decision to shutter these centers might be a prudent approach given potential future legislative actions.
As Utah navigates the implications of its new DEI ban, the debate over the role of LGBTQ and other cultural resource centers in higher education continues, with significant impacts on campus communities and minority students.
