Utah university cultural centers choose to shutter after DEI ban

Cultural centers at some Utah universities are deciding to close down in response to the state’s partial diversity, equity, and inclusion restriction despite the law not requiring them to do so.

The DEI restriction, which does not ban the ideology but pares back some of the programs in the state’s universities and government offices, went into effect Monday. While guidance about how to implement the new law does not advise schools to close their cultural centers, which are often race-, sex-, or sexual orientation-based student support offices, some have decided to do so anyway.