(The Center Square) – Fall classes begin next week at the University of Kentucky, and as students make their way back to the state’s flagship institution in Lexington, they’ll be setting foot on the latest campus nationally to change its diversity programs.
Now, proponents of such changes in Frankfort are hoping other state schools will follow.
UK President Eli Capilouto announced in a campus letter this week the school will disband its Office for Institutional Diversity. The move, which he said would not result in job losses, is one of several steps the school plans to take. Others include ensuring university websites show impartiality, deciding not to require diversity training at a college or unit level within UK and removing diversity statements from job postings.
“This is an effort to make clear that our priorities are steadfast,” he said in a video posted on the school’s website. “We are committed to being an institution that invites all perspectives and ensures the work we do to support students, employees, patients and others is for everyone. In doing so, we must be an impartial facilitator of ideas and perspectives, and we must be transparent about the work we do to support a community of belonging for all. The conversations I’ve had in recent weeks convince me that’s who we want to be.”
The move comes as some Kentucky lawmakers have pushed for legislation to ban so-called diversity, equity and inclusion, also known as DEI, policies. UK joins, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, more than 190 other public and private colleges across 26 other states that have taken similar actions.
Some, like universities in Alabama, Florida, Iowa and North Carolina, have done so after laws were passed in those states. Others, including Louisiana State University and the University of South Carolina, have taken their steps as legislators in those states have proposed DEI bans or restrictions.
State Rep. Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy, said in a statement UK’s decision does not affect federal anti-discrimination policies, but they do get rid of “unconstitutional” and redundant offices.
“I appreciate the University of Kentucky for taking this step and remain hopeful that other institutions, as well as the Council on Postsecondary Education, will follow their lead and recognize that this failed experiment has done nothing to make postsecondary education more accessible,” she said.
Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, said state lawmakers may learn more about UK’s intended plans when school has the chance to present at next month’s Interim Joint Committee on Education hearing. Like Decker, he’s happy to see the changes at UK and hopes the university is being “sincere” in its announcement.
“A true elimination of these DEI policies in our public universities will end the division they promote and allow our colleges and universities to be the true bastion of free thought we need them to be,” he said.
