The Utah lawmaker who drafted HB261 said the bill shouldn’t affect clubs. But two student cultural clubs say they have chosen to cut ties with the University of Utah in the continued fallout from the state’s anti-diversity law.
The Utah lawmaker who drafted HB261 said the bill shouldn’t affect clubs. But student leaders say that’s not what has happened.
Utah’s bill was touted for being more narrow than what’s been enacted in other red states. Instead of a full elimination and budget cut, all Utah colleges and universities were required to make resources generally available to all students, with generic support and success centers that aren’t based on specific identities. Any programming based on race or gender had to go.
Other student clubs that are “registered” don’t fall under the new rules because they don’t get money from the university. They also don’t have the same access, such as not being allowed to use university trademarks and not having a reserved space on campus. The Tribune reviewed the letters sent out to students, as well as a presentation given to staff, and confirmed those details were not provided in the materials.
The university confirmed it is no longer distributing funds to identity-based sponsored clubs. Those resources have instead been reallocated to the genericAny funds the clubs brought into their accounts prior to the change were returned, except for donations, which will require a separate analysis because of tax implications.
“We, as the Black community on campus, could not speak about our opinions, our history,” Werner said. “It seemed like even the Civil Rights Act was off-limits. It feels dystopian. I can’t talk about it, but I know when you look at me you see a Black woman first.”— including the one at the U. Werner had previously been the president of the club and stepped down in protest of the U.’s restrictions.
Parker said she, Werner and Mimche felt they could no longer be silent. They had hoped the university would have spoken up against the bill, but when it didn’t, they decided to. Most of all, she wants the club to remain a place where anyone — particularly those like Werner — can find support for who they are.
spring. It introduced prospective students to campus life and explained how they could apply for scholarships. PISA leaders mentioned Utah’s anti-DEI bill in their Instagram post on Aug. 6 announcing the club would withdraw its sponsorship from the school. “I think it’s worth the effort,” she said. “But it’s so stressful. We basically have to be our own advisers now.”
University Of Utah Student Clubs University Of Utah DEI University Of Utah EDI University Of Utah Black Student Union University Of Utah BSU Utah Black Student Union Sadie Werner Nevaeh Parker Pacific Islander Student Association Utah Pacific Islanders University Of Utah PISA University Of Utah Pacific Islander Students ‘Alisi Fihaki Destinee Tui HB261 Utah Anti-DEI Law Anti-DEI Law Student Clubs DEI Clubs
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