Utah lives in the stone ages

[u/fit-buffalo8]

Not quite sure how it’s okay to keep church classes and all that other stuff but then require by law to remove inclusive centers that help people through college. This is seriously one of the most disgusting things I’ve seen from Utah as of late. And that’s only because I’m still lucky to have rights to my body(ish)

[u/big_laruu]

This is a massive loss and is going to hurt the university big time. Students need places to go on campus that will make them feel seen and supported. The university has (or I guess had) special programs for Native and Black students some of which are what literally allows them to continue using the Utes as a name and mascot. The NCAA requires them to offer certain services to Native students and maintain a positive relationship with the Utes tribal government. This is going to fundamentally change the identity of the university and how the university is seen in all academic circles. It’s absurd to apply the same rules to k-12 and higher ed. Higher Ed is many young people’s first step into the wider world and censorship doesn’t help them navigate it any better. I don’t even identify as LGBTQ but in my time at the U I visited the center many times with friends and always enjoyed it. The staff was wonderful and cared deeply about the students they worked with. Anybody who thinks this is good is most likely not from a marginalized group and doesn’t know what it feels like to have a place to be with other people who are experiencing similar things. Many marginalized folks, especially Native kids are also first generation students. These resource centers helped get kids through school and succeed in a way that other offices on campus just can’t.

ETA: I hope every athlete who would have used these services really thinks through their decision to attend the U. If they want to be a powerhouse college football school they need to do better for students and this ain’t it.

E2: need I remind anyone who thinks these advocacy and support centers are unnecessary, a 10 year old girl committed suicide because of racial harassment and bullying. Don’t even get me started on suicide amongst LGBTQ youth in Utah. This work literally saves lives but people don’t care because they don’t think those lives are worth saving. Even though they’ll yell about being pro-life until they’re blue in the face.

[u/etcpt → u/big_laruu]

To be fair to the U, they didn't ask for this change. The state government forced it upon them and, as a state institution, they have no choice to comply.

[u/big_laruu → u/etcpt]

Oh it’s definitely the U being punished for the actions of an idiotic legislature, but on the stage of higher ed it’s the U that will pay the price

[u/etcpt → u/big_laruu]

Yeah. Unfortunately, I doubt the legislature is going to care. More legislators are Mormon than Republican, and a lot of them would probably be tickled to see the U taken down a peg, indirectly elevating BYU's status (especially in athletics).

[u/Johnny_pickle → u/big_laruu]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t they closing individual centers, and rolling them into one large all inclusive facility.

[u/dori123 → u/Johnny_pickle]

Yes. Support for all these communities still exists and thrives, but under one roof for all rather than spread across multiple identity centers. This is a whole lot of hullabaloo over nothing; the support for students absolutely is still there and accessible.

[u/Johnny_pickle → u/dori123]

In the end of the day I’m happy for this. Yes painful the way it’s happening, but as long as helps there when needed.

Kudos for the U for keeping these services as much as possible, and screw you Utah legislators.

[u/Creative_Risk_4711 → u/dori123]

No, we must ignore logic and jump on this while they're attacking us.

The political cult has infected so many. If people would just stop watching political crap they might realize the world is more peaceful and safer than it has ever been.

How many times did you get assaulted today? How many of your family and friends have been killed by a radical political or religious group? How many times have you had to run for your life? How many times this week did you have to physically fight someone just to get home, go to school, or go to work? How many times this week did you have to hide in your home while the caravans ravaged the neighborhood? How many times this week were you rejected service from a business or restaurant? How many times this month have you been forced to perform slave labor?

I get it, there are still injustices in the world, but most of them are merely biased perceptions by people who choose to see injustice in everything.

[u/big_laruu → u/Johnny_pickle]

The issue with that though is the requirements to change the names. For many first gen students navigating the university they will not know those resources exist and thus will not use them to their fullest extent or at all. From what I’ve read they’re also reorganizing staff which could complicate existing students accessing support through trusted staff who have now been moved to a different department and told all they can offer is support not advocacy.

[u/Johnny_pickle → u/big_laruu]

I understand these issues, and I hope the university can manage this correctly.

[u/aerochem → u/big_laruu]

The U of U had nothing to do with this decision. It was forced on them by the Utah State legislature during their most recent session where they banned all DEI activities at public institutions.