Aggies fight to keep DEI programs
*Clarification: Information provided to The Utah Statesman was incorrect and not known until after publication. While the Disability Resource Center resides within the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, funding for its programs will not be impacted by the proposed legislation. Additionally, the proposed legislation would not impact the Veteran’s Resource Office. The story has been updated.
In 2022, Sen. John Johnson of Utah’s 3rd District proposed a bill prohibiting funding for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, in higher education. Utah State University students seek to stand against this bill with the Voices of Aggies project.
Bills similar to this have been making their way across the U.S. in states such as Florida, Texas, North Carolina and South Dakota. The bill aims to prohibit programs, jobs, clubs and events in higher education that fall under the DEI.
The bill could impact the following organizations at USU: the Inclusion Center, the Interfaith Initiative, the Latinx Culture Center, the Disability Resource Center, the Queer Student Alliance and other such organizations.
“My degree could be heavily impacted,” said Beau Jenson, coordination director for the Government Relations Council, also referred to as the GRC.
Jenson is a double major in political science and history; his major is one of many that could be impacted by this bill. He explained anti-DEI legislation affects a lot in higher education, including classroom curriculum. Programs at USU such as the intersectional gender studies minor, the sexuality studies minor and the inclusive leadership certificate program could all no longer exist.
Student events put on by organizations like the Inclusion Center would also be prohibited by this bill. Most notable is Utah State’s Drag Show — a free student event put on by the Inclusion Center this year and in the past has been put on by Residence Life.
“Higher Ed has lost focus,” posted Sen. Johnson on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, in response to a promotional poster for this year’s drag show.
Starting in 2019, USU’s Drag Show happens every November. The performers are students and alumni who usually lip-sync to popular songs, such as “I’m Just Ken,” which was performed by one of the show’s drag kings this year.
“To suggest that, everything that the university does, has to be outrightly educational is not particularly fair,” Jenson said in response to Sen. Johnson’s post. “There’s more that a campus is about than just education.”
Utah State is also the number one employer in Cache Valley. If the DEI bill were to pass, certain jobs and positions would be removed, including the director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Education and Learning, a position USU is currently hiring for.
“Not only does this affect students because they’re the people who get these programs, but it affects real people’s jobs,” Jenson said.
Other jobs that would be affected include but are not limited to those who work at the Inclusion and Latinx centers, as well as the Disability Resource Center, a program designed to help accommodate courses to fit the needs of students with disabilities.
For positions that do not fall directly under DEI, there will still be some change. As of now, all USU employees have to go through DEI training.
Jenson explained DEI training aims to teach employees how to respect those who are different from them in all aspects, whether that be of race, gender identity, belief or other topics.
DEI training also aims to create a safe campus at USU.
“The DEI trainings have a lot to do with sexual assault and violence prevention,” Jensen said.
Alex Garces, USUSA’s diversity and organizations executive director, could potentially see his funding and title change if the DEI bill is passed.
“I see diversity as differences we can use to unite for a common goal,” Garces wrote in an email. “We often view it through an ethnic or gender lens which is important but not the only lens there is. There’s a large misconception that occurs from viewing diversity in that light. It drives people away rather than unites them.”
With the amount of change this bill will bring to USU, the GRC is working with Tyson Packer, USUSA’s student advocate vice president to start the Voices of Aggies project.
Aiming to advocate for DEI, Voices of Aggies will have tables stationed around campus where students can learn about DEI and share their opinions, during the last few weeks of this fall semester.
Voices of Aggies will also be collecting student letters at the Student Advocate Office, located on the third floor of the TSC.
“We’re trying to create an opportunity for students to be able to voice how they feel about some of the things that the Capitol is trying to do,” Packer said.
The GRC, along with other students, will be traveling to the Capitol in early 2024 to share the opinions brought on by the Voices of Aggies project.
“As the student advocate, I’m here for the students and there are tons and tons of students who really find their place here at Utah State through diversity, equity and inclusion,” Packer said
If students want to be involved in advocating for DEI, they can reach out with their MyVoice located in the MyUSU app, as well as follow the GRC Instagram.