SALT LAKE CITY — Governor Spencer Cox said he is pushing for reform when it comes to diversity programs and groups on Utah’s college campuses.
This comes a little more than a week after he stood by the Utah Board of Higher Education in announcing a new policy that requires all public colleges in the state to draft resolutions outlining protections and limitations for free speech for students and staff. It also requires a commitment to neutrality for each higher education institution in Utah.
“I am worried that some of those diversity programs on our college campuses aren't doing what they set out to do. And that is to make more opportunities available for those for people in our state who, who haven't traditionally had those opportunities. I think they've gotten very political and I think they're doing more to divide us than to bring us together,” Governor Cox said in a virtual town hall Tuesday night.
These rules were created after protests broke out at the University of Utah campus over multiple issues. Some included support for Palestine, and others were against a conservative group’s plan to show a documentary that criticizes policies that allow transgender youth to seek gender-affirming treatment.
“Obviously I can't speak for every group. But as for us, Hillel For Utah is an explicitly an a-political organization,” said Abram Berry, Outgoing Vice President for Hillel For Utah at the University of Utah.
Barry said he was disappointed to hear the governor’s opinion that many organizations representing diverse students are too ‘divisive.’
“We exist to provide community for Jewish college students around the state of Utah. And I don't know, it's frustrating and frankly disappointing to now be facing criticism from the governor for being too political,” said Berry, “It just makes it very clear that the governor doesn't understand our, our situation at all. Like he doesn't have the boots on the ground to know like the pressure that we face as an organization and as Jewish students.”
He said the organization is not insular, and they frequently collaborate with other groups and clubs on campus, such as the Muslim Students’ Association, which one member— who wants to be kept anonymous for safety reasons— said has been a great way to meet people and learn about other cultures.
The member said she doesn’t think there needs to be reform to diversity programs on campus.
“Especially with everything happening in the world right now, it's kind of brought everyone closer together and I felt so much more connected with not just my Muslim peers but literally everyone on campus. Like we have had so many people who come to our meetings and activities now who just want to hang out with us and who just want to be there and know that we're supportive as well and provide that sense of community.”
NAACP Salt Lake Branch President Jeanetta Williams said in a statement, in part:
“Representing the NAACP, I am very disheartened to hear Governor Cox talk negatively about Diversity in Colleges. He is only hearing a one-sided view about diversity and those who want to get rid of it. The Governor criticized diversity efforts at Utah colleges, saying that they are more divisive. Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) are divisive only to those who want to dismantle it. I challenge the governor to get diversity groups, colleges and legislators together in a room to discuss diversity in higher education before he makes another public statement against diversity in higher education. He cannot come out and make a claim that Diversity on college campuses is divisive without talking to the other side. This is not a one-sided issue and the NAACP has worked with groups and the community on other issues that affects us personally.”
FOX 13 reached out to the governor’s office Friday, and he said he has nothing to add on the topic apart from what he said Tuesday— That he is committed to reforming these programs to bring people together.
“You're going to be hearing more from me about this over the coming months as we work with higher education, especially to make sure that we, we get those programs right, because I don't feel like, like they're headed in the right direction,” said Governor Cox, “I feel like they're much more divisive right now than they are unifying.”
