University of South Alabama shuts down DEI office
The school will shutter its DEI office to comply with the state’s anti-DEI legislation.
The university is one of several that have shuttered their DEI offices as a result of the law.
The University of South Alabama has shuttered its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) office to comply with Alabama’s anti-DEI legislation.
The announcement came on Aug. 2 from school president Jo Bonner.
“While the new law alters our organizational structure and approach to some programming, it does not diminish our commitment to academic freedom or to supporting a culture of belonging and respect,” Bonner wrote.
[RELATED: TX university replaces DEI office after statewide ban with ‘Office of Campus and Community Belonging’]
“In addition, we will use this moment to expand our engagement efforts on campus throughout the community and across the region through volunteerism, service learning and community-based research,” Bonner continued.
As of publishing time, the DEI page on the university’s website has been taken down, providing only a 404 error message.
S.B. 129, Alabama’s anti-DEI bill signed into law on March 20, bans “divisive concepts” that teach that “any race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior.” The law will take effect on Oct. 1.
Upon signing the bill into law, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said: “My Administration has and will continue to value Alabama’s rich diversity, however, I refuse to allow a few bad actors on college campuses – or wherever else for that matter – to go under the acronym of DEI, using taxpayer funds, to push their liberal political movement counter to what the majority of Alabamians believe.”
Other Alabama schools, such as Jacksonville State University and Auburn University, have also closed down DEI offices ahead of the law’s taking effect in October.
[RELATED: More colleges are seeking to institutionalize DEI through rubrics, diversity statements]
Auburn University, for instance, announced in July that it would eliminate its DEI office by Aug. 15 and move DEI officials into other departments.
“Some colleagues will fill existing vacancies, while others will assume new roles in existing offices to assist with student recruitment, admissions or to support student success and student organizations,” university officials said.
Campus Reform has contacted the University of South Alabama for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
