University of Utah to close LGBT Resource Center after statewide DEI ban
The University of Utah announced it will close its LGBT Resource Center after a statewide DEI ban was passed.
The University of Utah announced it will close its LGBT Resource Center after a statewide DEI ban was passed.
According to the Daily Utah Chronicle, the LGBT announced the closure in an Instagram post.
“Let’s come together to honor the center’s legacy of support, advocacy, and resilience, as well as to honor the 21 years of commitment that went into creating a safe environment where everyone is valued, not despite of their identities, but because of them,” the announcement stated.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed HB 261 unto law on Jan 30 which bans DEI training as well as other DEI initiatives from operating within the state’s public colleges and universities.
[RELATED: Utah universities dismantle DEI to comply with state law]
According to the report, the LGBT Resource Center will be folded into the Office of Student Affairs, as well as the Women’s Resource Center, the Center for Equity and Student Belonging, and the Black Cultural Center student support services.
Vice President for Student Affairs Lori McDonald said the university has faced “very difficult decisions.”
“As we’ve evaluated how best to comply with the legislation, I want to be clear that we’ve faced very difficult decisions,” McDonald said. “The law and subsequent guidance require a foundational change in how we approach student support, and we will follow the law. This isn’t about changing the words we use; we’re changing how we approach the work.”
