Utah’s commissioner for higher education insists he did not tell public colleges in the state that they had to shutter their cultural centers. But, he says, he did advise them that it would likely be “an inevitability” down the road.
Utah higher ed. commissioner didn’t force schools to close cultural centers now — but said it’ll be ‘an inevitability’ Commissioner Geoff Landward said he worries conservative state lawmakers will eventually require that step, even though it’s not currently part of the state’s anti-DEI law.
Students and community leaders gather at the University of Utah for an event put on by the Division of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. The U. is shutting down the equity division, along with other cultural centers, on July 1, 2024 to abide by the state's anti-DEI law. But the commissioner for higher education says schools have a choice what to close — for the time being. Utah’s commissioner for higher education insists he did not tell public colleges in the state that they had to shutter their cultural centers to abide by“It’s not required by law. And I’m not directing them to do it as a requirement,” he told The Salt Lake Tribune on Wednesday. “But it’s what I’m advising them to do either now or to start transitioning toward as the model for the future.”— the state’s flagship institution — is shutting down its Women’s Resource Center, LGBT Resource Center, Black Cultural Center and Center for Student Equity and Belonging.are pushing to retain some and not take as expansive of action until the time that might be required, if that comes.Landward said, the state’s Republican-majority Legislature remains “focused” on higher education and blocking any programs that might give preferential treatment to students based on their identity. Utah’s push has come at the same time as a conservative movement to defund diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the country.for being less sweeping than other states, Landward anticipates it’s not the last word lawmakers here will have on DEI. “I just don’t think we’re out of the woods,” Landward added. “There are still concerns. … It’s an inevitability that we’re going to have to confront the issue of these centers again anyway.” Geoff Landward, the commissioner for higher education in Utah, testifies during a Senate Education Committee hearing for HB261 at the Capitol on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. At right is the bill's sponsor, Rep. Katy Hall, R-South Ogden., though, said they would not force schools to close existing cultural centers and the text of the law aligns with that. Instead, the measure requires that for centers to remain open, they have to be accessible to students from all backgrounds. That means if a white student wants to go to a Black cultural center, for instance, they would need to be allowed in and attend the same events. Additionally, schools have been instructed to create new generalized “student success and support” centers that help all those enrolled — not based on specific identities. And administrations are supposed tothe Utah System of Higher EducationThe document also doesn’t include any written directions to schools instructing that they must close cultural centers. It says that schools should adjust their centers to “conform with the requirements of HB261″ and ensure they are not providing academic supports or resources at cultural centers. Counseling, advising and tutoring should be shifted to the generic “student success and support” centers for everyone. The centers, instead, “may continue to operate … focused on cultural education, celebration, engagement and awareness to provide opportunities for all students to learn from one another,” the guidance notes. “I still think it’s difficult to square cultural centers that are tied to one specific population with the intent of the law,” Landward said. “But it’s still doable, and the guidance says you can do that.” It’s up to each school’s administration, he said, how to move forward. And, so far, schools have announced slightly different paths. USU, for instance, is closing its Inclusion Center. But it is choosing to move forward with its plans to open a Native American Cultural Center. Landward said as “long as that meets the elements of the guidance, it won’t be an issue.”The commissioner said he has talked to school presidents about creating one large multicultural center to replace the losses. That would encompass the identities from the previous individual cultural centers, without prioritizing any one specific population. “You create an umbrella cultural center,” he said. “This preserves our ability to educate and celebrate different cultures, but in a way that doesn’t expose us to more criticism. … without having to answer the question: ‘Why does this one group get a center and another group doesn’t?’” USU and the University of Utah have both announced plans to do that. The U. will have a new Community and Cultural Engagement Center. Utah State will call its the Center for the Study of Community. Additionally, the guidance says that universities should reassign staff who had worked in centers that will be shuttered — rather than eliminate positions. “USHE does not interpret this requirement to mean that institutions are required to terminate employees who have job titles that include the words diversity, equity and inclusion,” the document states. So far, the schools say that’s what they are doing. Vice presidents for equity are becoming general advisers to the president. Women’s resource center staff are shifting to general scholarship support roles.Utah wants the public to report violations of new anti-DEI lawAfter DEI bill, this is what Utah’s college presidents fear will be the next target of lawmakersOpinion: Utah schools won’t provide comprehensive sex education, so it’s up to the parents ‘Everything you want’: How Utah’s family culture, stability led to 4-star Christian Thatcher’s commitmentLatest from Mormon Land: Plan for an even more immigrant-friendly LDS Church
Utah Higher Education University Of Utah Weber State University Utah Higher Education Commissioner Utah Board Of Higher Education Utah System Of Higher Education Utah DEI Utah College DEI Utah University DEI University Of Utah DEI Utah Cultural Centers Closing Cultural Centers College Cultural Centers
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