University of Alabama System Shuts Down DEI Offices, Reassigns Staff

The University of Alabama System is closing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices across all three campuses and will establish new offices with different names.

This decision follows a new law signed by Governor Kay Ivey, which prohibits DEI offices, programs, and training in public colleges and other state agencies. Senate Bill 129 (SB129) will take effect on October 1, 2024.

“Our mission remains steadfast. We are committed to welcoming everyone, serving everyone, and ensuring everyone thrives and succeeds,” stated University of Alabama President Stuart Bell.

According to a University of Alabama (UA) spokesperson, no staff members in Tuscaloosa have been terminated. Similarly, a UA System representative confirmed that no system-level staff have been fired, although the duties and responsibilities of affected employees will be modified.

It is unclear whether the changes involve significant adjustments to staff roles and programming or merely renaming offices and initiatives.

In Tuscaloosa, the Division of Opportunities, Connections, and Success has been established, with Christine Taylor, the former head of the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, leading the new division.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has created the Office of Access and Engagement, led by Paulette Dilworth, the former head of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH) is similarly refocusing its efforts on student recruitment and engagement.

In an internal email, UAB President Ray Watts stated that the new office would ensure that “everyone has access to available programs and resources they need to succeed,” emphasizing plans to support first-generation students, veterans, and those from rural areas.

Watts also highlighted that legal protections remain for research, teaching, and programming that support specific gender, race, and affinity groups.

President Bell reiterated UA's commitment to diversity of speech and thought. “Differences, including differences of opinion shared with civility, strengthen our campus community. Our faculty, staff, and students will continue to engage in free speech, exercise academic freedom, and participate in wide-ranging discussions on issues impacting our world,” Bell wrote.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Alabama expressed concern that closing DEI offices would negatively impact students. “The university’s decision is inconsistent with the desires of their student body, as UA students were among the most vocal opponents of SB129,” said JaTaune Bosby Gilchrist, the ACLU’s executive director. “We will continue to work with our partners in Tuscaloosa and across the state to support students and educators.”

Other universities have experienced similar changes. Earlier this year, Jacksonville State University closed its DEI office. At the University of Texas at Austin, around 50 DEI staff members were laid off to comply with state law.

Universities are also adjusting to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 decision to strike down race-conscious admissions. Although Alabama colleges do not use race-conscious admissions, they are revising their approach to certain scholarship and affinity programs.