U of Alabama student gov ends DEI to comply with state law, starts ‘Belonging and Wellness’ committee instead
The new head of the ‘Belonging and Wellness’ committee said the student government will continue to fight to ‘create a safe space.’
An Alabama law fighting against ‘divisive concepts’ like DEI went into effect on Tuesday.
The University of Alabama’s student government recently passed measures to eliminate certain mentions of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) from its documents.
The measures in question, a bill and a constitutional amendment, were approved in late September to take out references to certain committees and positions promoting DEI from the student government, according to The Crimson White.
The student government is replacing the now-defunct DEI bodies with a new “Belonging and Wellness committee.”
The head of the new committee, Jeffery Ford, said: “I understand the frustration, but hope is not gone. We’re going to continue as a Student Government Association body to keep fighting for those individuals, and ultimately our fight for you and hearing your voices and letting your voices be heard — that is what’s going to create a safe space in itself.”
The student government ended the DEI positions in question to comply with Senate Bill 129, an Alabama anti-DEI bill that was passed earlier this year.
The legislation, which went into effect on Tuesday, bans “divisive concepts” such as DEI at the state’s public institutions of higher education.
On Aug. 11, the University of Alabama’s student government announced it would end its Vice President for DEI role and replace it with a “Vice President for Belonging and Wellness” that would focus “on initiatives that ensure every student on campus feels fully supported.”
“Over the past few months, SGA has worked tirelessly to brainstorm and adapt our current programming to best fit the needs of the student body, as well as the changes to state law,” the new Vice President for Belonging and Wellness, Aubrei Grisaffe, said at the time. “Above all else, SGA is committed to making our university a place where each student belongs, and I feel confident that this position will emphasize this commitment.”
Campus Reform has contacted the University of Alabama for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
