HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Northern Kentucky University no longer has an Office of Inclusive Excellence, according to an email sent to students last week.
University President Dr. Cady Short-Thompson announced that NKU's chief diversity officer, Dr. Darryl Peal, had stepped down. She also told students she decided to dissolve the Office of Inclusive Excellence, described by a university spokesperson as an office that "(ensures) the principles and practices of diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded into all aspects of university life."
In her email, Short-Thompson mentioned conversations involving diversity, equity and inclusion happening across the state. The University of Kentucky announced a similar change to their DEI office earlier in August.
"The circumstances under which universities across the Commonwealth and the country find themselves, coupled with the legislative priorities of state leaders for the upcoming session, require universities to change," she wrote.
The issue has been a topic for many local lawmakers, including Republican state Sen. John Schickel, who has been outspoken in his criticism of DEI offices.
WCPO received a statement from Schickel thanking NKU for eliminating the Office of Inclusive Excellence.
"This decision is supported by myself and widely supported by the people I represent," said Schickel, who represents part of Boone County. "The office, despite its intentions, was a dividing force. By removing it, NKU is taking a significant step towards fostering a more cohesive and successful educational environment by judging students on academic excellence and not on their race or gender."
Students received a second email on Tuesday with updates on what this decision means for the university. Short-Thompson said she wanted to clarify any confusion that came from her announcement the week before.
Included in her second email was a note that other inclusive groups on campus, including the Center for Student Inclusiveness, will continue operating as normal.
We spoke with current NKU senior and former student body president Isaiah Phillips, who is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and works within the Office of Admissions, among other groups on campus.
Phillips said he has concerns about inclusiveness regressing at NKU and hopes to see the university continue to support minority students.
"I hope we don't take those steps backwards," he said. "I feel like we did a really good job of that and it would be a shame to backtrack and make a lot of students, myself included, feel unwanted, feel not necessarily feel like we're getting the same attentiveness that other students get."
Phillips told us he believed the Office for Inclusive Excellence was a positive force on campus — not something negative.
"How it allows people to embrace their similarities and people that come from the same demographic but also pushes them to other spots on campus," Phillips said.
Another student, James Renton, works closely with LGBTQA+ organizations on campus. He said he urges the university to continue to foster a safe and inclusive environment for all.
"Whether it’s providing training to existing staff or creating new offices entirely, whatever is fiscally responsible but still gets the job done to where the student is satisfied and the university is satisfied," Renton said.
