A Utah higher education chief diversity officer reflects on the state's recent legislative restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, drawing parallels to historical resistance to racial integration.
Voices: In 2025, Utah can thrive by moving beyond a zero-sum approach to diversity, equity and inclusion. The current legislative restrictions on diversity, equity and inclusion programs mirror historical resistance to racial integration of public swimming pools.After decades of false starts, I signed up for my first adult beginner swim course in spring 2024.
Why the false starts? My childhood fear of water stemmed from my unfamiliarity with swimming, compounded by financial barriers, leading to my disinterest in swimming until later in life. The law bans diversity, equity and inclusion offices or staff and mandatory diversity training at the state’s public colleges and universities. It also prohibits using diversity statements in hiring and promotion and considering race, ethnicity, sex or national origin in admissions or employment. This law followed the restricting race in college and university admissions, amplifying concerns about discrimination against majority groups and increasing scrutiny of such initiatives. Please note that I intentionally avoid using the acronym “When invited to share my perspective on the future of diversity, equity and inclusion, I knew it would be challenging. These efforts are facing crisis-level political, rhetorical and operational pressures. As a Utah resident for nearly 13 years and, thanks to HB261, likely the only remaining (officially titled) higher education chief diversity officer in the state, I accepted the challenge, hopeful that these principles remain a catalyst for positive change in Utah and beyond. So how does my swim lesson story relate to the future of diversity, equity and inclusion? The current legislative restrictions on diversity, equity and inclusion programs mirror historical resistance to racial integration of public swimming pools., whereby one person’s or group’s gain equals another’s los
DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION LEGISLATION UTAH
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