Northern Kentucky University to end DEI initiatives on campus at the end of the semester

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WELL, CLOSER TO HOME, OHIO GOVERNOR MIKE DEWINE SIGNED A BILL TO BAN DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN OHIO. THE LEGISLATION BANS ALL DEI RELATED PROGRAMS AND ALLOWS THE STATE TO WITHHOLD FUNDING FROM ANY COLLEGE THAT DOESN’T COMPLY. IT ALSO BANS FULL TIME UNIVERSITY FACULTY FROM PARTICIPATING IN STRIKES. THE LAW DOES NOT AFFECT PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS. THE BILL WILL GO INTO EFFECT IN 90 DAYS ON JUNE 26TH. AND IN KENTUCKY, MORE THAN 20 VETOES HAVE NOW BEEN OVERRIDDEN BY THE REPUBLICAN LED STATE HOUSE. MOST NOTABLY, THE LEGISLATION’S BANNING DEI INITIATIVES AT COLLEGES IN KENTUCKY. A BILL CLARIFYING THE STATE ABORTION BAN, WHICH DOCTORS SAY WILL HURT THEIR ABILITY TO TREAT EXPECTED MOTHERS. AND THE LEGISLATION THAT REVERSES GOVERNOR BESHEAR’S EXECUTIVE ORDER BANNING CONVERSION THERAPY IN THE COMMONWEALTH. REPUBLICANS SAY THESE NEW LAWS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY VETOED BY BESHEAR WILL BENEFIT KENTUCKIANS. I’M VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE’VE DONE. YOU KNOW, WE SAID AS A SENATE, YOU KNOW, OUR RESPONSIBILITIES, THAT WHEN WE CAME IN HERE, WE WERE GOING TO BE FOCUSED, WE WERE GOING TO GET RIGHT TO WORK. WE STEPPED UP AND SHOWED THAT WE WERE GOING TO LISTEN TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE NOT JUST LISTENING, JUST TO THE GOVERNOR’S OVERREACH THAT HE MAY BE DOING WITH THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. ALL THE LAWS THAT WERE PASSED BY THE STATE HOUSE ARE EXPECTED TO GO INTO EFFECT IN 90 DAYS. AND NEW TONIGHT, JUST HOURS AFTER A BILL TO BAN DEI INITIATIVES IN COLLEGES IN THE COMMONWEALTH BECAME LAW, NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCED THE CLOSURE OF SEVERAL DEI PROGRAMS. SEVERAL UNIVERSITY GROUPS FOCUSED ON PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN, LATINO AND LGBTQ. PLUS STUDENTS WILL BE DISSOLVED. THE UNIVERSITY ALSO ANNOUNCING THAT IT WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO PROVIDE DIVERSITY BASED SCHOLARSHIPS. BUT SOME SAY THOSE CURRENTLY RELYING ON THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS WILL STILL BE FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED THROUGH ALTERNATIVE FUNDING. DEI TRAINING WILL ALSO NO LONGER BE REQUIRED, SPONSORED OR FUNDED BY NKU. UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT KATIE SHORT THOMPSON RELEASING A STATEMENT THAT READS IN PART, THESE ARE CHALLENGING DECISIONS AND TIMES. YET OUR MISSION OF STUDENT ACCESS AND SUCCESS HAS NEVER BEEN MORE ESSENTIAL. SHE GOES ON TO SAY, I WANT EVERY NKU STUDENT TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A PLACE FOR YOU AND PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU ON OUR CAMPUS. ALL PROGRAMS AND SCHOLARSHIPS WILL BE ELIMINATED ON MAY 12TH, WHICH I

Northern Kentucky University to end DEI initiatives on campus at the end of the semester

Northern Kentucky University is moving to end its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on campus at the end of the 2025 spring semester.This comes after a law was recently passed by the Kentucky state legislature banning DEI within the state's universities, despite strong opposition by academics within the state and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.Still, the Republican-controlled legislature pushed forward in overwriting Beshear's veto of the ban on Thursday, setting the stage for the law to go into effect on June 30.Northern Kentucky President Cady Short-Thompson addressed the new law in a letter sent out to students on Friday."Dear NKU community," wrote Short-Thompson. "I am writing to share with our entire campus community an important update about a new Kentucky law and our institution's response to it. Many of you have followed the events in Frankfort regarding Kentucky House Bill 4, which prohibits a wide range of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at public universities. After weeks of debate, committee hearings, and legislative votes, and despite Governor Beshear's veto, the General Assembly gave final approval of the bill on March 27. House Bill 4 is now law, and NKU will make the necessary changes to ensure we comply with the law. Many of those changes are described below."She continued, "But I will begin by sharing what will not change. Every NKU student, from every population and walk of life, is a cherished member of our caring community. And all of our staff and faculty are valued members who create a special familial community where everyone can do their best work with and for our students. The learning and discovery that happens here will continue. Our shared mission and joy – the success of our students – will continue. And we know that students are most successful when they feel a genuine sense of belonging here in our midst. As we move forward together, I want every NKU student to know that there is a place for you and people who care about you on our campus. And I am grateful for the many dedicated faculty and staff who make it so."Short-Thompson went on in the letter to describe a large array of changes that will go into effect by May across the university to be within compliance of the new law.The changes include dissolving the African American Student Initiatives, Latino Student Initiatives and LGBTQA+ Student Initiatives programs on campus, discontinuing university scholarships that in any form make grants based on race, gender or other identity considerations, and banning all future DEI training for staff.Additionally, all committees meant to promote diversity within individual colleges will be dissolved or repurposed, all employee-focused identity affinity groups will be defunded, and some identity-focused graduation celebrations and mentoring programs will no longer be run by university offices.A number of offices that use inclusive wording at NKU will also be renamed to be in compliance with the new law. For example, the Center for Student Inclusiveness will be renamed as the Center for Community and Connections, while the Inclusive Excellence Council will be renamed as the Campus Community Council.Despite this, Short-Thompson emphasized that no courses at the university will be impacted by the new law, while student-run organizations that are centered around members of a specific race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion will still be allowed to continue as usual. Diversity initiatives that individual student groups may choose to pursue or promote will also be allowed to continue as usual.Short-Thompson finished her letter to students by appearing to indicate displeasure with the scale of changes that will be required to be brought on around campus by the new law."These are challenging decisions and times; yet our mission of student access and success has never been more essential," wrote Short-Thompson. "It is my sincere hope that we can reimagine a way to build connections across our students and colleagues in new and still meaningful ways, learning from one another about our various differences and similarities. I believe in the strength, dedication, and impact of the people of Northern Kentucky University. We will navigate these challenges together."North of the Ohio River, a similar ban on DEI in universities was also signed into law in Ohio this week.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. —

Northern Kentucky University is moving to end its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on campus at the end of the 2025 spring semester.

This comes after a law was recently passed by the Kentucky state legislature banning DEI within the state's universities, despite strong opposition by academics within the state and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

Still, the Republican-controlled legislature pushed forward in overwriting Beshear's veto of the ban on Thursday, setting the stage for the law to go into effect on June 30.

Northern Kentucky President Cady Short-Thompson addressed the new law in a letter sent out to students on Friday.

"Dear NKU community," wrote Short-Thompson. "I am writing to share with our entire campus community an important update about a new Kentucky law and our institution's response to it. Many of you have followed the events in Frankfort regarding Kentucky House Bill 4, which prohibits a wide range of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at public universities. After weeks of debate, committee hearings, and legislative votes, and despite Governor Beshear's veto, the General Assembly gave final approval of the bill on March 27. House Bill 4 is now law, and NKU will make the necessary changes to ensure we comply with the law. Many of those changes are described below."

She continued, "But I will begin by sharing what will not change. Every NKU student, from every population and walk of life, is a cherished member of our caring community. And all of our staff and faculty are valued members who create a special familial community where everyone can do their best work with and for our students. The learning and discovery that happens here will continue. Our shared mission and joy – the success of our students – will continue. And we know that students are most successful when they feel a genuine sense of belonging here in our midst. As we move forward together, I want every NKU student to know that there is a place for you and people who care about you on our campus. And I am grateful for the many dedicated faculty and staff who make it so."

Short-Thompson went on in the letter to describe a large array of changes that will go into effect by May across the university to be within compliance of the new law.

The changes include dissolving the African American Student Initiatives, Latino Student Initiatives and LGBTQA+ Student Initiatives programs on campus, discontinuing university scholarships that in any form make grants based on race, gender or other identity considerations, and banning all future DEI training for staff.

Additionally, all committees meant to promote diversity within individual colleges will be dissolved or repurposed, all employee-focused identity affinity groups will be defunded, and some identity-focused graduation celebrations and mentoring programs will no longer be run by university offices.

A number of offices that use inclusive wording at NKU will also be renamed to be in compliance with the new law. For example, the Center for Student Inclusiveness will be renamed as the Center for Community and Connections, while the Inclusive Excellence Council will be renamed as the Campus Community Council.

Despite this, Short-Thompson emphasized that no courses at the university will be impacted by the new law, while student-run organizations that are centered around members of a specific race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion will still be allowed to continue as usual. Diversity initiatives that individual student groups may choose to pursue or promote will also be allowed to continue as usual.

Short-Thompson finished her letter to students by appearing to indicate displeasure with the scale of changes that will be required to be brought on around campus by the new law.

"These are challenging decisions and times; yet our mission of student access and success has never been more essential," wrote Short-Thompson. "It is my sincere hope that we can reimagine a way to build connections across our students and colleagues in new and still meaningful ways, learning from one another about our various differences and similarities. I believe in the strength, dedication, and impact of the people of Northern Kentucky University. We will navigate these challenges together."

North of the Ohio River, a similar ban on DEI in universities was also signed into law in Ohio this week.

Northern Kentucky University to end DEI initiatives on campus at the end of the semester

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