Several universities in Alabama, Missouri, and Iowa are closing their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offices in anticipation of the upcoming fall semester. The move is in response to laws that prohibit the promotion of certain ideologies on campuses.
On Monday evening, Auburn University declared that it intends to dissolve its DEI office by August 15th. The decision came after the University of Alabama system made a similar announcement last week, stating that it would close DEI offices at all three of its schools.
In response to the bill signed by Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) in March, Alabama schools have made the decision to eliminate events and programs that require specific racial or sexual qualifications in order to participate. The new law also prohibits any form of discrimination based on race or sex through preferential treatment or the teaching of the idea that traits like a strong work ethic or meritocracy are racist or sexist. This law applies to all public schools in Alabama, and they are required to comply with the new regulations by October 1st.
Auburn has yet to disclose any future plans for establishing offices that share the same objectives as a DEI office. On the other hand, the University of Alabama system has already taken the initiative by appointing Dr. Christine Taylor, who served as the vice president and associate provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion, to lead the newly established Division of Opportunities, Connections, and Success.
Many schools in the United States, who are dealing with legislative bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), have taken a similar approach. They have decided to relocate their staff and rename their offices, but this will not prevent the continued integration of DEI principles into the university’s operations.
On Tuesday, the University of Missouri declared that it would close down its DEI division, following the departure of the school’s DEI Vice Chancellor Maurice Gipson in August.
On Tuesday, Mizzou’s President Mun Choi conducted a press conference where he unveiled a reorganization of the office. In a written statement, Choi acknowledged the introduction of 13 DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) bills in the Missouri Legislature over the past two years. He credited their proactive responses for preventing the passage of these bills. These responses included the removal of diversity hiring statements, discontinuation of race-conscious admissions and scholarships, and the guarantee that inclusion encompasses everyone.
Choi expressed gratitude towards Gipson for his dedicated service last week. He also stated that he and Gipson would be discussing ways to sustain DEI at the school, while simultaneously handling political pressure to eliminate the ideology. Choi reassured that no employees would be terminated due to this.
Iowa State University made a decision to shut down its DEI offices last week as per the advice of the Board of Regents and state legislators. This move resulted in the elimination of five positions, three of which were already unoccupied.
The board’s decision to shut down DEI offices and restructure them was in accordance with the directives issued earlier. These directives were also passed by the state legislature, which mandated strict penalties for any violations. As per the law, DEI offices, DEI-specific employees, and DEI spending are prohibited, except when it is necessary for accreditation or required by law.
