Student leaders are taking issue with the University’s decision this summer to eliminate the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and to disperse its functions across the University.
“It’s a step back for the university,” said Marquan Denby, vice president of the Black Student Union.
Some of the functions once performed by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have been redistributed under the Office of the Provost. The change is an effort to improve success rates for marginalized and underrepresented students, officials said.
According to Interim Provost Scott Molitor, the goal is to shift any academic divisions that reported directly to the president, so they now reside under the Office of the Provost, allowing them to “work together in a coordinated fashion."
“This was not anything that we did in terms of political pressure. This was looking at our student success, looking at the data and saying, ‘what can we do better?’” Molitor said.
The position of Vice President for the Office of DEI, occupied by Dilip Das since 2022, was eliminated. Das was not moved into another position at the University. Efforts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful.
Some students feel that they’ve lost a key advocate with Das’ departure.
BSU was one of ten student organizations to post a letter to the public on Instagram in late August. The letter states, in part, that Das’ termination has “created a palpable void” within the Black community on campus and has “left a power vacuum that undermines the university’s commitment to critical diversity issues at a time when it is desperately needed.”
“There are still students’ voices that need to be heard, that was the position Dr. Das had,” Denby said. “He provided a voice for the students directly to the president. He was there to amplify the voices of students who fall under DEI.”
The letter went on to demand financial transparency from the university regarding potential reallocation of former DEI resources and criticized the lack of diversity in upper administration “across various dimensions.” This creates a blind spot to the experiences and needs of marginalized students, according to the letter.
“DEI is not only for African American students on campus. It is for all students that fall under DEI,” said Denby.
In addition to the vice president of DEI, the university also eliminated the vice president for student affairs and the special assistant to the president for community engagement. The functions performed by those individuals also now fall under the provost’s office.
Sammy Spann, who was vice president for student affairs at the time, now holds the title vice provost of student affairs and retains his title of dean of students.
Valerie Simmons-Walston is now special advisor to the president for community engagement.
Aleiah Jones, director of the Office of Multicultural Student Success, said she was not aware of the change before it was enacted.
“It was sort of a surprise to me. But, you know, I am not in upper administration, so I’m not sure what discussions were happening beforehand,” Jones said.
“I feel it’s wrong, because diversity is very important,” said Aicha Conde, a social work major. “I just think they should make everybody aware about what’s going on and keep everybody updated.”
“[The Office of DEI] had a number of different initiatives and efforts, many of which are still continuing, but they really didn’t have a focus or the ability to impact student success,” Molitor said. “I believe [the proposed changes to advising, student experience, and community engagement] are going to really affect all students."
