As of December 2024, the University of Idaho closed the doors of a variety of DEI offices on campus in accordance with the Idaho Board of Education’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion services. This ban included the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Women’s Center, the Black/African American Cultural Center and the LGBTQA Office.
In efforts to preserve some of the services, according to Lysa Salsbury, the former director of the Women’s Center, UI is opening a Violence Prevention and Education office. However, this is by no means an adequate replacement for the centers lost in this ban. Many students and staff relied on the support and services these spaces provided, so it comes as no surprise that people are frustrated by the loss of them.
“It’s been a terrible blow to our community and our constituents,” Salsbury said. She had been working at the center for about 20 years before it closed, and the news was incredibly devastating to her.
The Women’s Center was one of the limited confidential resources available on campus for both staff and students, while the staff of the new Violence Prevention and Education Office will be mandatory reporters. Losing confidential resources can be incredibly detrimental to students and staff who need to report an incident or seek help without fear, especially in cases of abuse or assault.
Education was also a major priority of the DEI centers. Staff of the offices would guest lecture in classes on a variety of topics, as well as holding training workshops on the experiences of different communities and how to create a welcoming and inclusive environment. There was also no shortage of educational and community events held by the centers.
Salsbury highlighted the importance of community and support within these centers. These spaces gave access to students of all backgrounds to find people with similar interests and values. They encouraged students to organize and advocate for themselves and helped them get access to financial and academic resources like scholarships and mentoring to navigate college easier as a student.
“That was a space where everyone was welcome,” Salsbury said. “To lose a resource like that is a tragedy.”
When sharing more information on the closings, Joshua Whitworth, the State Board Executive Director, told the DEI committee, “We want to make sure that the services that they need are not focused down on their identity, but focused on what they need.”
This fails to acknowledge the role that identity plays in academics. Due to the history of discrimination within the education system, many marginalized communities have been excluded and set back in schools. Even now, this makes navigating higher education more difficult for students from these communities. When students have a place to go and people who share their identity and experiences, they have more chances to thrive in academic settings.
The current targeting of marginalized groups within media and politics is making many students fearful of their future and having these spaces where they can reach out for support and resources is incredibly important now. The loss of the DEI offices on campus will further weaken the sense of community and well-being for these students and there needs to be more effort in adequately substituting these resources for them.
Hilary Valdez can be reached at arg-opinion@uidaho.edu.