SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The University of Utah said some of its student resource centers will soon be closed or otherwise reorganized once House Bill 261 — “Equal Opportunity Initiatives” — goes into effect on July 1.
“Under HB 261, ‘Equal Opportunity Initiatives,’ student services must be available to all students and not provided to individual students based on ‘personal identity characteristics,'” the university explained in a press release.
HB 261 was signed by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox in January 2024, and prohibits higher education institutions, government employers, and the public education system from “taking certain actions and engaging in discriminatory practices.”
To comply with the new law, the U of U will close three current resource centers — the Center for Equity and Student Belonging, the Women’s Resource Center, and the LGBT Resource Center. Those resources will then be reorganized into two different “centralized centers,” the university said.
“As we’ve evaluated how best to comply with the legislation, I want to be clear that we’ve faced very difficult decisions,” Vice President for Student Affairs Lori McDonald said in the release.
The U of U also said it will centralize other resources for students — including advising, mental health and wellness services, and scholarship coordination — in its new Center for Student Access and Resources.
The university is also planning to create a new Community and Cultural Engagement Center, should it be approved by the Utah Board of Higher Education. This center is expected to focus on cultural education and celebration among other similar topics.
Additionally, the university’s American Indian Resource Center will undergo a name change, and will be called the Center for Native Excellence and Tribal Engagement. That center will continue to work with tribal nations.
“The law and subsequent guidance require a foundational change in how we approach student support, and we will follow the law,” McDonald said. “This isn’t about changing the words we use; we’re changing how we approach the work.”
Another resource that will remain open is the Black Cultural Center building at Fort Douglas, which will be a “community gathering space.”
While some of the centers are being closed and moved around, the university said no staff positions have been eliminated, but some work and job descriptions will change. The university also said it will continue to celebrate cultural heritage months, Juneteenth, Pride Week, Women’s Week, and Martin Luther King Jr. Week.
“As this new organization takes shape, I am confident that our students, faculty and staff will continue to receive the personalized support and services they need to thrive and succeed as we foster an ongoing culture of care,” Provost Mitzi Montoya said.
