UK President Eli Capilouto, left, shakes hands with Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, ahead of an interim education committee meeting. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley)
FRANKFORT — Five of Kentucky’s university presidents told state lawmakers that their campuses are focused on inclusivity for all students as an interim committee sought information about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education.
The discussion, which lasted a couple of hours, in front of the Interim Joint Committee on Education on Tuesday comes amid Republican hostility to DEI efforts and threats to eliminate them in higher education, both in Kentucky and across the nation.
Before the meeting, Rep. Josh Calloway, R-Irvington, shared on X, formerly Twitter, that he and other lawmakers, including Rep. Candy Massaroni, R-Bardstown, planned to file a bill during the 2025 legislative session that would eliminate a requirement for public universities and colleges to submit diversity plans to the Council on Postsecondary Education and remove penalties for not meeting CPE standards.
“While Representative Jennifer Decker continues to lead the charge to fully end DEI initiatives in Kentucky’s post-secondary institutions, we aim to refocus colleges on education — not division or exclusionary practices,” Calloway said.
Decker, R-Waddy, was the sponsor of the House’s answer to DEI in higher education last session. That bill would have eliminated DEI programs in higher education. Meanwhile, a Senate bill proposed a legal path for employees and students to sue universities on the grounds they were discriminated against for rejecting “divisive concepts.” Neither piece of legislation passed.
Committee co-chairs, Republicans Sen. Stephen West and Rep. James Tipton, “felt it was appropriate to get all the information out on the table” regarding DEI at public universities heading into the next session, West said at the start of the meeting.
Some of Kentucky’s public universities have already begun looking at their diversity policies in the interim. In recent weeks, the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University announced they were closing their diversity offices. The Kentucky Community and Technical College System said last week it plans to review its programs and resources.
Campuses represented Tuesday were UK, the University of Louisville, Western Kentucky University, Eastern Kentucky University and Murray State University. Presidents of NKU and Morehead State University previously addressed the education committee about DEI programs on those campuses. KCTCS President Ryan Quarles recently told the Kentucky Lantern he would make a similar presentation in November.
Kim Schatzel, UofL president, addresses lawmakers about DEI programs Tuesday. At the table with her is Riggs Lewis, U of L’s Vice President for external relations and communications.(Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley)
UK President Eli Capilouto said he hears concerns about DEI in questions regarding how it represents everyone. He said the purpose of the meeting was to “to find a common approach to a common concern,” and that was “how we support everyone, regardless of where they are from, what they think, who they are.”
While UK eliminated its diversity office, no jobs were eliminated, Capilouto said. He added that the university was recommitting itself to refrain from statements “that appear political or partisan” and protecting academic freedom.
“Spaces for learning must be free for the exchange of ideas, and discovery should take our scholars and students wherever their curiosity and questions lead, because that’s the only way we’re going to solve the thorniest of problems,” Capilouto said. “And we should welcome discomfort in hearing ideas. But we can’t tolerate indoctrination, intimidation or disrespect. The lectern serves learning, and is not a pulpit for proselytizing.”
Kim Schatzel, who became president of UofL in early 2023, told lawmakers her institution “will support all our students and all needs of all.” Last year, UofL changed the name of its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to the Office of Institutional Equity.
“‘Equity’ means no preference, no bias, no discrimination,” Schatzel said before she listed the various identities that make up UofL’s student body — Black, brown, white, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, refugees, first generation students, gay, straight, disabled, veterans and more.
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, asks University of Louisville President Kim Schatzel about the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion program during the a meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Education, Sept. 17, 2024. (LRC Public Information)
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, referenced pro-Palestine protests at UofL and on other campuses that she said made Jewish students feel unsafe based on religion. She said she appreciated Schatzel’s efforts “to make that right.”
“Our Constitution talks about equality,” Tichenor said. “I don’t love that word, equity. Because it assumes that there’s an overall that everybody can have or comes in, you know, it leaves the same way. That’s just impossible. We’re all different people. So I guess my question to you would be, why would you choose … the Office of Institutional Equity, as opposed to the Office of Institutional Equality, because that truly is more of our founding in the United States of America, that we’re all created equal.”
“I don’t love that word, ‘equity,’ because it assumes that there’s an overall that everybody can have or comes in, leaves the same way. That’s just impossible. We’re all different people,” Tichenor said before asking Schatzel to explain why the office was renamed with ‘equity’ in the title.
WKU President Timothy Caboni said the university defines diversity through a combination of identities, such as geographical background, age, socioeconomic status, political views, gender identity, sexual orientation, race and more. The university launched its OneWKU campaign in 2020, which is “cultivating a sense of belonging” for all who are on campus.
David McFaddin, president of EKU, said his university does not have a diversity office but remains committed to welcoming all. Bob Jackson, Murray State’s president and a former state lawmaker, said universities have a responsibility to advance the future workforce and highlighted academic programs at the university.
“I say all of these things because our workforce and economic development needs and issues are vitally important for all students all across Kentucky, no matter gender, race, income status or otherwise,” Jackson said. “And that’s who we are. I’m proud of who we are.”