The College Fix

Northern Kentucky U. is closing its Office of Inclusive Excellence as lawmakers consider DEI ban

Northern Kentucky University will pay its former chief diversity officer more than $150,000 after he resigned late last month, according to the student newspaper.

Former Chief Diversity Officer Darryl Peal resigned Aug. 28, one day before the university announced plans to close its Office of Inclusive Excellence, The Northerner reports.

In a document published by the newspaper, the public university agreed to pay $13,068.13 to Peal every month through Aug. 31, 2025 or until he finds another job, whichever comes first.

The university also agreed to provide him with job search assistance, according to the document, obtained through an open records request.

His resignation “is a mutual decision of both the university and employee,” according to the report:

Peal and NKU President Cady Short-Thompson signed and dated the agreement on Aug. 28, 2024.

One day later on Aug. 29, Short-Thompson sent an email to the campus community, discussing Peal’s departure.

In the email, Short-Thompson wrote that Peal made the decision to step down effective immediately, and as such, she “decided to dissolve the Office of Inclusive Excellence.”

This decision came a week after the University of Kentucky made a similar move to disband its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices.

Peal served as the university’s first DEI chief, starting in 2020, according to a news release at the time.

Prior to that, he worked for the National Collegiate Athletic Association, “driving the Inclusion and Human Resources’ vision and strategic initiatives through engagements and partnerships.”

University leaders created the role “to foster an inclusive and engaging campus climate and oversee NKU’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts,” the release states.

Four years later, Kentucky lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit DEI policies at public universities. Administrators at both the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University mentioned the legislation as a reason for closing their DEI offices, according to the student newspaper.

Senate Republican Whip Mike Wilson, who introduced the bill, said such programs violate the First Amendment by requiring employees to “formally endorse a set of beliefs that may be contrary to their own.”

“A true elimination of these DEI policies in our public universities will end the division they promote, allowing our colleges and universities to be the true bastion of free thought we need them to be,” Wilson said, according to the Kentucky Lantern.

MORE: University of Kentucky closes DEI office

IMAGE: Northern Kentucky University/Facebook

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