This story is published as part of U.S. Democracy Day and the Utah College Media Collaborative, a cross-campus project bringing together emerging journalists from Salt Lake Community College, the University of Utah, Utah State University and Utah Tech University.
“With a heavy heart, I bid farewell to the Center for Inclusion & Belonging (CIB) and the LGBTQ+ Resource Center. A beacon of diversity, equity and unity, the center has been more than just a space on campus; it has been a home where every voice found a listening ear,” Mike Nelson, director of student belonging at Utah Tech University, said in an Instagram post on June 27.
When the Utah State Congress passed HB 261 and HB 257, students and faculty expressed concerns about the future of Utah Tech University.
H.B. 261, otherwise known as the “Diversity Bill” and officially called the Equal Opportunities Initiative, prohibits any institution of higher education, the public school system and government employers from discriminatory hiring practices, and from promoting and engaging in certain practices of diversity, equity and inclusion.
The other bill implemented July 1 is HB 257, called Sex-Based Designations for Privacy, Anti-Bullying and Women’s Opportunities. This bill restricts the use of gender-based bathrooms for transgender people unless they have gone through reconstructive surgery.
These bills were passed Jan. 30, 2024 and went into effect July 1. Since then, Utah Tech University (UTU) has implemented the new regulations the bills brought on.
“We know from survey evidence around the country that students are generally more supportive of DEI initiatives than the general public,” Geoff Allen, assistant professor of political science at UTU, said. “As a party with a highly vested interest, it makes sense that they would be concerned.”
During freshman orientation at UTU this year, students were shown a series of videos that explained the changes to the university; however, these videos were not shown to returning students.
Nelson said he had students coming to him for support during the first week of school.
“There have been more concerns raised in the past week … returning students are coming back to offices that aren’t there,” Nelson said. “Even though the bill was passed in January, the change happened during the summer, and not many people knew about it. The returning students, for some of them, were caught off-guard.”
Some faculty and staff are concerned about students and how they can support them.
With many changes being made to Utah Tech, students look for faculty support to help them navigate the unknown territory that they may find themselves in. Ali Threet, assistant vice president and dean of student affairs at UTU, encourages students to contact faculty and staff if they need support.
“There have been a lot of faculty and staff concerns that students will still feel welcomed and feel like they belong here,” Threet said. “They want to help out in any way they can.”
When this bill was enacted, the Center for Inclusion and Belonging and the LGBTQ+ Resource Center, both popular student centers at Utah Tech, were dissolved and renamed the Student Resource Center.
The diversity bill also changed job roles and titles at the college. Dr. Tasha Toy, assistant vice president and compliance officer at UTU, was moved from her past role as chief diversity officer.
“Since I was hired here, my role has changed three times,” Toy said. “I will say that it shifted from being a very narrow scope to much wider. It is one of the byproducts of this bill; we expanded and looked in different places.”
Nelson was also moved from his last role as the director of the Center for Inclusion and Belonging. He is now director of student belonging and works with the Utah Tech Student Association over student clubs.
“From a university support standpoint, we want to make sure all resources are open to all students,” Nelson said. “When it comes to official support, for let’s say our LGBT students, we don’t have dedicated services for them.”
Students reported concerns that clubs promoting diversity would be forced to shut down. However, Nelson, who is in charge of “student belonging” clubs on campus at UTU, has assured the community that no clubs would be shut down and encouraged students to join clubs where they feel they can get support from their peers.
A Utah Tech website that contains guidance on HB 261 says “HB 261 does not alter Utah Tech’s commitment to ensuring all students, faculty and staff have the opportunity and resources to succeed while on campus.”
The bill does not change education on campus. Instead, it prohibits the university from taking a stand on critical race theory and diversity.
This bill also doesn’t change Title IX. Toy said federal law is exempt from the bill, therefore, it isn’t affected.
Other recent changes made to Utah Tech include creating more gender-neutral bathrooms. Interim President Courtney White said in an email sent to UTU faculty and staff that a map would be sent out that shows where these bathrooms would be.
Toy said signs are continuing to be put up at the college now, allowing more inclusive bathrooms in various buildings on campus at UTU.
“The closure of the CIB and the LGBTQ+ Resource Center marks the end of an era defined by tireless efforts to foster a sense of belonging and to celebrate the vast cultural identities that enrich our university,” Nelson said.
Madisyn Bishop reported and wrote this story as a student with Utah Tech University’s Sun News Daily. This story is part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. To learn more, visit usdemocracyday.org.
