Second university to close DEI office this week, joining University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The University of Kentucky announced Tuesday it is shutting down its Office for Institutional Diversity following a debate on DEI practices in the state legislature.
According to its website, the office’s goal was to “enhance the diversity and inclusivity of our university community through the recruitment and retention of an increasingly diverse population of faculty, administrators, staff and students, and by implementing initiatives that provide rich diversity-related experiences…”
Following its decision to close the office, the school’s goal remains to “protect academic freedom and promote a ‘sense of belonging,’” UK President Eli Capilouto stated in an email to staff and students, according to The Associated Press.
“But we’ve also listened to policymakers and heard many of their questions about whether we appear partisan or political on the issues of our day and, as a result, narrowly interpret things solely through the lens of identity,” Capilouto stated.
“In so doing, the concern is that we either intentionally or unintentionally limit discourse. I hear many of those concerns reflected in discussions with some of our students, faculty, and staff across our campus,” he stated.
Further, the university will no longer require diversity statements and diversity training for its employees, Capilouto stated in the email, according to Kentucky Lantern.
The school acted in response to recent criticism of DEI from Kentucky state legislators. The state House and Senate recently considered a bill to end DEI initiatives at public universities.
Senate Republican Whip Mike Wilson, who introduced the bill, argued that 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 Kentucky Lantern.
Lawmakers couldn’t reach an agreement before the session ended, but will likely reconsider the issue next year.
“Kentucky legislators have made clear to me in our conversations that they are exploring these issues again as they prepare for the 2025 legislative session,” Capilouto stated in his email.
The University of Kentucky is not the only school to shutter its DEI office this week. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion is also set to shut down, Chancellor Rodney Bennett announced Tuesday.
“I fully grasp the weight of this decision and its implications, but a centralized approach to this work is no longer right for our institution,” Bennett stated in a public letter posted on the university’s website.
“Let me be unequivocal – we will steadfastly uphold the principle that every person and every interaction matters, and we will continue to recruit and support faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and identities,” he stated.
The Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor, Office of Business & Finance and Office of Student Life will now handle efforts to support and build “a sense of community and belonging” among the campus community.
MORE: UNC-Wilmington shuts down DEI office
IMAGE: University of Kentucky/Canva Pro
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