Three KU centers focused on diversity and equity are being combined with each other and another campus center to create the “Student Engagement Center,” the university announced Monday.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs, Emily Taylor Center for Women and Gender Equity, and the Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity are being combined with the Student Involvement and Leadership Center in a “realignment” that is effective immediately, according to the announcement from KU Student Affairs.
“All existing staff will continue their roles through the Student Engagement Center and Fall 2024 programming will proceed as planned,” according to the announcement. “The Student Engagement Center is open and operating currently in Suite 400 of the Kansas Memorial Union, and in the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center. This change will establish a hub of student-centered activity in a location familiar to new Jayhawks from the start of their University of Kansas experience.”
The realignment coincides with guidance from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators to “reimagine facility usage and programming to better accommodate students and their evolving needs,” according to the announcement.
The change comes at a time when universities’ efforts to support students and staff of color and gender-diverse people have increasingly come under attack, in Kansas and across the country.
A bill that passed in Kansas’ most recent legislative session, HB 2105, tied $35.7 million in funding to public higher education to a requirement that campus administrators complied with a state law forbidding employment and admissions decisions to be based on diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Campuses that violated the law by maintaining DEI pledges or oaths could face a $10,000 fine for every instance of noncompliance, Kansas Reflector reported.
Now at KU, “All professional schools with DEI-related accreditation and/or membership requirements are advised to consult with General Counsel to determine the feasibility of compliance moving forward,” according to an HB 2105 website from the provost’s office. In addition, the website advises campus to “Pause activity in unit-level Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committees in academic, administrative and affiliate units until more comprehensive directives can be determined.”
The realignment apparently brings to an end more than five decades of the Emily Taylor Center. The center opened in 1970 as the Women’s Resource & Career Planning Center. It was renamed in honor of Taylor, then Dean of Women, in 1974.
Kathy Rose-Mockry, who served as director of the ETC for 20 years, said she is “tremendously disappointed” about the changes. She said she thinks it’s great that the units aren’t being totally dismantled, but the changes will restrict the units’ ability to serve in an advocacy role.
“Not everybody may realize the impact of these issues on students’ lives when they come to campus and through their time on campus,” she said. “It affects their performance; it affects their well-being. … It’s essential there is a safe space, there are people that students see as being able to really be helpful for them — not just provide them with programs.”
Rose-Mockry said the centers also communicate KU’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion to other campuses.
“We’re in difficult times with some of the issues coming forward across the country, but nonetheless, as the mandate has not been issued that these kinds of changes must be undertaken at this point, it’s important that KU hold on to these ideals,” she said.
Anthony Boynton, a recent doctoral graduate who is now a lecturer in KU’s English department, said he wondered whether KU might be trying to preempt future decisions from the Board of Regents.
“Especially considering where KU is, in Lawrence, we want to believe that our administration wants to maintain these kind of values, equity — but we shall see,” he said.
For Boynton, the Office of Multicultural Affairs was a place where he and his friends would go between classes, “sometimes just to chill, breathe.” He’s also taught there.
“There are ways that those spaces are really important,” they said. “I’m interested to see what that means for how this new realigned office will build communities for those different student populations. And that’s not at all a comment on their expertise, because I firmly believe in their expertise in terms of who they now have, but in terms of the kind of work that takes.”
Arlowe Clementine is a doctoral student studying queer and trans history in KU’s Women and Gender Studies department.
”My whole reason for being at the University of Kansas is to continue to cultivate thriving community spaces and events for queer and trans people,” Clementine said. ”And, you know, so often in this part of the country, we don’t have space to be in community and create spaces of our own, and that’s what I’m working to do with my own career path. So it’s something that I care deeply about, and I’m just quite concerned to think about what else it means.”
Clementine said the decision clearly wasn’t made overnight, and the way the news was released — included in the middle of an email to students Monday morning — was concerning to them.
Also, “The fact that there is no real plan outside of the fall is concerning to me, and it just makes me worry for myself,” they said.
Clementine said they have previously partnered with the ETC and the SGD, done a lecture for the SGD, and they work in one of their affinity groups.
”Having a center doesn’t mean safety, and so I don’t want to equate us having our own spaces as saying that we’re safe here,” Clementine said. “… But it does at least give us a place to build community, which is an important part of having safety nets and success in a place like KU.”
A group opposing the realignment has formed and planned to meet late Monday evening.
Position changes
The university’s announcement did state that “All existing staff will continue their roles” through the center. Boynton said they’ve seen previous “realignments” of DEI offices at KU, and that gives him pause.
“I have mixed emotions about it,” Boynton said. “I have colleagues who are staying on and who got to keep their jobs, but we certainly don’t know if that’s going to remain the case, unfortunately, especially with what we’re seeing across the nation.”
Position changes connected with the realignment are listed in the announcement as follows:
• “Jordan Brandt, former director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, has been named Director of the Student Engagement Center. Brandt will lead a student-driven campaign to formally name the Student Engagement Center and establish the center’s unique identity in the coming academic year.”
• “Sarah Grabber, formerly the assistant director in Student Support and Case Management, has been appointed the new Associate Director of Student Impact Programs and Services. This position oversees the Campus Cupboard, the Trans Closet, a coat and clothing closet, and the Pregnant and Parenting Resource Pantry; and serves as the primary Student Affairs liaison to the Emergency Aid Network.”
• “Cierra Roberson, formerly the assistant director in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, has been appointed the new Associate Director of Student Community Programs. This position oversees student of color, queer and trans, women and femme, and nontraditional student programming.”
• Nikita Haynie, formerly director of the Emily Taylor Center, will become director of Family Engagement Programs.
• “Student Affairs is now conducting a search for the new Associate Director of Student Leadership Programs, who will oversee student organizations, leadership development initiatives, and personal development initiatives.”
In addition, Morelle Maddox, formerly communications coordinator for Student Affairs, will be director of Student Affairs communications; and Mataia Gales, formerly administrative associate in the Student Affairs office, will be assistant director for Student Senate leadership development, according to the announcement. Assistant Vice Provost Kevin Joseph will take on administrative responsibilities to provide support and development for Student Affairs staff, according to the announcement.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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