USI rebrands Multicultural Center into new Student Life Office amid DEI restrictions
Indiana’s DEI rollback continues as USI folds its Multicultural Center into a newly consolidated office.
The move follows state and federal directives restricting DEI-based programming.
The University of Southern Indiana (USI) has eliminated its Multicultural Center, merging it with two other offices in a “strategic realignment.”
The move comes several months after Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed an executive order targeting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education.
The newly created Student Life Office at the university comprises the former Multicultural Center, Center for Campus Life, and Student Affairs.
In its public message announcing the merger, the university said that the change “will expand services and better align University resources with student needs and follows a thoughtful review of state directives and overall departmental roles.”
“We are deeply committed to supporting all students,” USI President Steve Bridges said in the message. “This realignment reflects our dedication to using our resources to expand a campus culture rooted in care, opportunity and respect for every individual.”
The university has not elaborated on the details of the “strategic realignment,” or what it means for student activities. However, at least some students have interpreted the decision as an attack on DEI.
School officials eliminated DEI mentions on the university’s website in October to comply with S.B. 289, the state’s anti-DEI law, and Braun’s January executive order.
In addition to the state’s restrictions, President Donald Trump signed an anti-DEI executive order in January, threatening loss of federal funding for non-compliance.
“The University of Southern Indiana has been thoughtfully reviewing recent policy developments at all levels of government,” the school said in October. “This includes a careful evaluation of our efforts in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).”
The decision to remove the Multicultural Center was announced privately a few weeks later, on Nov. 3, according to Jo Douglas’ student opinion piece which criticized the decision.
Indiana conservatives have criticized DEI initiatives for prioritizing an identity-based ideology over merit and scholarship.
“I authored Senate Bill 289 because I believe the government should treat everyone equally and act transparently,” State Sen. Gary Byrne said in a February press release.
According to Byrne, his bill targets publicly funded offices “whose primary purpose is to promote discriminatory treatment” and restores “merit-based standards to health care education.”
[RELATED: Harvard’s rebranded DEI office gets more cash than all DEI centers it replaced]
Upon signing his executive order in January, Gov. Braun said that “Indiana has replaced the divisive, politically-charged DEI ideology with Merit, Excellence, and Innovation: a level playing field where every single Hoosier has the chance to get ahead with hard work.”
Many other universities have eliminated DEI offices over the past year due to state and federal restrictions, including Emory University, Williams College, and the University of Southern California.
Campus Reform has reached out to USI for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
