LAFAYETTE, La. — The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is among several universities nationwide that cut back or eliminated diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Earlier this month, the university announced the immediate closure of its Office of Campus Inclusion.
The university said in a statement:
"DEI programs and activities that are led, sponsored, and/or funded by the university are discontinued."
"There's a saying, 'An injury to one is an injury to all,'" said Jae Regan with the Lafayette Inclusion Task Force. "If you hurt one of us, you hurt all of us."
Demonstrators gathered at the student union to voice their concerns about the potential negative impact these cuts will have on the campus community.
"There's this nationwide hysteria about DEI," Regan said. "I think there is a lot of misinformation about what DEI is and what it's for. We really want UL and other Louisiana universities to be diverse, inclusive places where students can feel safe, respected, and get the quality education they deserve."
The cuts follow several executive orders signed by former President Donald Trump aimed at eliminating DEI resources in educational settings.
Regan tells KATC that these measures disproportionately affect marginalized groups, including transgender people, queer individuals, and people of color at universities.
"I would hope the office could come back one day," said Jolie Daigle, President of Giving Love, Acceptance, Safety & Support. It's a student-run organization that promotes diversity and supports the LGBTQ+ community at UL Lafayette says.
"There are so many resources on campus that are vital to our survival here that we can't just go without them," they continued.
Organizers hope that university administrators will listen to their concerns and work towards creating solutions.
"The goal is to draw as much attention as possible to the fact that inclusion really matters," Daigle said. "Even though we are in the Deep South, where not many people think it matters, it matters to us."
They have drafted a call to action letter, which they plan to send to all public universities in Louisiana, urging the retention and reinstatement of DEI programs.
