Academic clubs call for transparency in response to funding cut rumors

 Editor’s Note: This article was updated on March 24 to reflect information accurately. 

Utah State’s campus culture has not been the same since the passing of HB261. The bill closed the Inclusion Center and incited the rebranding of clubs such as the Black Student Union, or inspired clubs to cut ties with the university such as the Queer Student Alliance. Two academic senators and club presidents are now calling for transparency from USU after reporting rumors their clubs might be next to receive substantial funding cuts.  

 College of Humanities and Social Sciences Sen. Landry Hunter and College of Engineering Sen. Maddie Witte sat down with The Utah Statesman to discuss rumors.  

 “We have heard a lot of pretty substantial and trustworthy rumors that several of our clubs that are based around identities may be required by HB261 to either disassociate from the College of Engineering and move to operate under USUSA or they would have to completely rebrand and remove any mention of their identities from any branding they do, how they present themselves officially and any financial accounts that they hold,” Witte said.  

Witte reported having heard similar rumors around the Women in Business Association. She said WIBA has been clearly told to either move to USUSA or disband.  

 As written on the student support website “USU maintains an ‘all-comers’ policy, and organizations supporting underrepresented students or focused on cultural identities are in compliance with HB261 as long as the programs and services they offer are open to all students.” 

The website does not provide any specific information about the implications of HB261 on funding for identity-based academic clubs and chapters. Instead, under the subheading titled “Restrictions for Identity-Based Clubs,” it discusses the role of staff and faculty when being advisers for these clubs.  

“Staff and faculty may continue to advise clubs focused on cultural identities, such as Women in STEM, as long as they do so on a volunteer basis and do not receive special funding/compensation for providing this service that other advisors would not receive for advising non-identity driven organizations. Clubs must also be open to all students,” the website states.   

If identity-based academic clubs, like the three listed by the College of Engineering under the student clubs and organizations website, were to be dissolved from their colleges and into USUSA, they would be hit with an impactful loss of funding and lack of access to attend national conferences and events.  

 “Just having rumors floating around is very frustrating, especially when it’s our responsibility to make sure those students and those clubs are taken care of,” Hunter said.  

 The senators were joined by former Miss USU and 2021-22 Society of Women Engineers president Regan Tracy and the president of USU’s Out in STEM chapter, also known as oSTEM, Clara Durling.  

 oSTEM provides a space for LGBTQ+ students in science, technology, engineering and math. 

 “I had already received an email from someone in the dean’s office telling us that our funding had been officially denied. Part of that was cited as we didn’t have a high enough percentage of engineering majors in our club,” Durling said. 

 Despite its small numbers on campus, oSTEM is the largest chapter-based LGBTQ+ STEM organization in the world, as stated by its website. 

 Durling further explained a higher-up in the dean’s office advised them to move oSTEM to USUSA because of its roots in identity.  

 Tracy, whose campaign as the 2023-24 Miss USU was STEM outreach, shared more on how she will navigate this rumored change as the SWE president.  

 “We all know it’s on the horizon, and it feels like such a slap in the face because we already are an underrepresented group in STEM,” Tracy said. “It’s tough because it’s like you’re already fighting an uphill battle, and then it just adds on top of that and then furthermore on that. SWE is one of the most successful clubs in the College of Engineering, and we’re very inclusive. Like, yes, it’s the Society of Women Engineers, but we love our ‘he for SWE’ allies.” 

 Tracy, while wearing her SWE sweatshirt, explained how these rumors affect more than just her presidency but also her Miss USU platform.   

 “It is so hard that I spent a year as Miss USU working on my platform of creating a more inclusive environment for women in underrepresented groups in STEM just to feel like that all kind of went down the drain,” Tracy said.  

 According to their website, SWE, a nonprofit organization, is the world’s largest advocate for women in engineering. They have over 400 U.S. affiliates and 100 global affiliates.    

 As the end of the academic year nears, the group is unsure how next year’s leaders will overcome these challenges without transparency from the university. The three engineers explained how their college experience was dependent upon academic clubs and events.  

 “I definitely have made a lot of friends through oSTEM. It’s given me something really valuable, too. I was able to get a lot of help through oSTEM with improving my resume, and we did lab tours and stuff that have not only enhanced my sense of community and sense of belonging here at the university but also just my professional development. That kind of support and that kind of community — that’s why I’m willing to stay here and try to fight for future students,” Durling said.  

 According to Witte, engineering students also rely heavily on events put on by clubs such as oSTEM and SWE for their post-grad life.  

 “The personal connection is what matters so much, and it’s a hard thing to get when you’re in the TSC ballroom for an hour, walking around with 20 copies of your resume and talking to other companies,” Witte said. “I’ll harp on SWE again with the Evening With Industry event that’s a full sit-down dinner where you sit down with a representative of someone in your field and you just talk and eat with a small group of people for an hour. So many people I know have gotten jobs out of there — invaluable connections.” 

 Hunter also discussed how these rumors could affect more than just identity-based clubs. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences has identity-based courses and curriculum such as the intersectional gender studies minor that could be affected by these budget cuts. Hunter followed up by discussing how calling for transparency about the effects of HB261 is a part of her role as an academic senator.  

 “This has been a very difficult year to stand up and advocate for other people, especially as student leaders, but on top of that, it’s all about being transparent with the students,” Hunter said.” We’re starting to learn these things, and students should be aware of it instead of it quietly going away. The Inclusion Center quietly disappeared this summer, and all of our inclusion statements that were in each of our offices got thrown away while we were gone. We’re seeing all of this happen without any sort of communication, and if we’re the only people that can talk about it, then let’s talk about it.”