More Kentucky college presidents defend DEI before state lawmakers
On Tuesday, two presidents of public universities in Kentucky made statements before the Kentucky state legislature in support of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs on campuses.
Northern Kentucky University President Cady Short-Thompson and Morehead State University President Jay Morgan both defended the supposed benefits of DEI at their respective institutions.
On Tuesday, two presidents of public universities in Kentucky made statements before the Kentucky state legislature in support of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs on campus.
The two officials were Northern Kentucky University (NKU) President Cady Short-Thompson and Morehead State University (MSU) President Jay Morgan.
Short-Thompson defended the supposed merits of DEI, and pointed to her university’s having over 200 student organizations including multicultural groups. Reportedly, NKU has 45 academic programs that maintain DEI curricular requirements.
Morgan similarly argued strongly in support of DEI during his presentation.
“Morehead State University values the diversity of our students, the diversity of our workforce, our overall people,” Morgan said. “We respect all people, and we want our students and our faculty and visitors to feel like they have a sense of belonging on our campus.”
Both MSU and NKU have pages on their respective websites dedicated to celebrating DEI. MSU has a “Chief Diversity Officer,” while NKU has a department called the “Office of Inclusive Excellence.”
A Kentucky bill that would have limited DEI efforts at public universities failed to pass in the state legislature in March after the both houses of the Kentucky legislature failed to reconcile differences about the legislation.
The Tuesday hearing was not the first time that presidents of public universities in Kentucky have come out in support of DEI efforts at their schools.
In February, University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto stated that legislation threatening DEI was dangerous and that current DEI programs should be allowed to remain in place.
“As the University of Kentucky’s president, let me be clear: I am opposed to the legislation regarding both DEI and tenure. I have voiced my stance in a manner that I hope is respectful and thoughtful,” Capilouto said. “We don’t speak as an institution on public policy unless the issues will impact our entire community in potentially significant ways. This is one of those moments.”
Similarly, University of Louisville President Kim Schatzel wrote about what she saw as the importance of diversity in the classroom and on campus.
[RELATED: Sociology professor says ‘attacks’ on DEI in higher ed ‘threaten democracy,’ blames Campus Reform, others]
“I strongly believe that you cannot deliver a high-quality university education without a diverse classroom and campus – inclusive of all demographics, identities and ideologies,” she wrote in a message to the school community following Capilouto’s remarks.
“Only in such circumstances and with such experiences will our students be prepared to foster their own and others’ excellence in a diverse global economy,” she added. “In short, a diverse and inclusive campus better prepares our students to lead.”
Further conversations about addressing DEI in Kentucky colleges are expected to continue during the fall and possibly into next year.
Campus Reform has contacted the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, Morehead State University, and Northern Kentucky University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
