Across the United States, students and alumni are organizing to preserve cultural and support programs at public universities where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have been restricted by new state laws. At institutions like the University of Cincinnati and the University of Utah, these grassroots efforts are filling the void left by rebranded or shuttered campus centers.
Facing the loss of university resources, these groups are creating independent foundations, launching fundraisers, and taking on the responsibility of hosting long-standing cultural events. This shift ensures the continuation of traditions but also places new burdens on students and volunteers to manage funding, logistics, and outreach without institutional support.
Key Takeaways
- State laws banning DEI activities are forcing public universities to eliminate or rebrand identity-based resource centers.
- At the University of Cincinnati, alumni created a nonprofit foundation to fund traditional Black student programs previously run by a now-rebranded campus center.
- Student groups at the University of Utah have formally separated from the university, sacrificing funding to maintain their programming autonomy.
- These independent efforts face challenges in fundraising and reaching new students but are also fostering stronger community networks.
A Grassroots Response to DEI Legislation
As state-level restrictions on DEI initiatives take effect, a consistent pattern is emerging. University-funded identity centers and programs are being scaled back, but the communities they served are refusing to let their traditions disappear. Instead, students, alumni, and external advocacy organizations are stepping in to provide the support that institutions no longer can.
This movement involves creating new legal and financial structures to operate outside the university's purview. From organizing off-campus graduation ceremonies to funding welcome events for new students, these groups are ensuring that vital community spaces and traditions continue, even without official university backing.
The Impact of Anti-DEI Laws
Several states, including Ohio, Utah, Florida, and Texas, have passed legislation that restricts or bans public colleges and universities from funding and operating DEI offices and programs. These laws often lead to the closure of multicultural centers, the elimination of DEI staff positions, and the cancellation of affinity-based events and scholarships.
Cincinnati Alumni Preserve a Legacy
At the University of Cincinnati, the African American Cultural and Resource Center (AACRC) was a hub for Black students for years. It hosted significant events like the Tyehimba Black Graduation Celebration and Akwaaba, a welcome event for freshmen. Following a new Ohio law, the center was rebranded as “the Cultural Center,” and its specific programming was discontinued.
In response, concerned alumni quickly mobilized. They established the Cincy Cultural Resource Center Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to funding and sustaining the programs the AACRC once managed. Harlan Jackson, president of the foundation and a former student leader, emphasized the community's commitment.
“We can’t just stand idly by and just allow something this negative and something this backward to happen at the university,” Jackson stated. “The question is ‘How do we make lemonade out of a lemon?’”
The foundation now works directly with student leaders to identify their needs. According to foundation secretary Byron Stallworth, their initial fundraising efforts have already covered the costs for key events like Akwaaba and parents' weekend, exceeding the initial goal of $5,000. The organization has a long-term goal to raise half a million dollars within the academic year to support events and potentially fund scholarships.
Challenges in Outreach
Despite the foundation's support, the loss of an official university center creates new obstacles. Isaac Makanda, a student leader with the university's NAACP chapter, noted that without the AACRC's official communication channels, reaching new students has become more difficult. He described meeting a first-year student who was unaware of the community events because he never received the emails the center used to send.
“He had no idea about any of these things that were going on because those resources were taken away from him,” Makanda explained, highlighting the gap left by the center's diminished role.
Utah Student Groups Choose Autonomy Over Funding
A different approach has been taken at the University of Utah, where state legislation also placed strict limits on university programs. Three student organizations, including the Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA) and the Black Student Union, chose to formally separate from the university.
This decision meant sacrificing their university funding but gaining the freedom to continue their work without restriction. Mayette Pahulu, vice president of PISA, said the group previously received at least $5,000 annually from the university, and losing it was a “major hit.” However, she explained the trade-off was necessary to protect their mission.
“We would rather lose the funding than our members lose a safe space,” Pahulu said. “We didn’t want to be limited by the new strictures on public universities, whether that be talking about certain subjects... [or] to host socials that are specific to our heritage, cultures and ethnicities.”
Navigating New Financial Realities
Without university funds, PISA now relies on community fundraising to operate. The group has an active GoFundMe campaign and actively seeks sponsorships to cover event costs, which now include fees for using campus facilities as an external organization.
Pahulu acknowledged the increased workload on student leaders but also pointed to an unexpected benefit. The necessity of seeking outside support has forced them to build stronger connections with community organizations and other student groups.
“Even though we’ve taken kind of the short end of the stick... we’ve honestly started to build a bigger community and network,” she said. “I think in the long run, it will benefit us.”
A New Burden on Students
While these efforts demonstrate resilience, they also highlight a shift in responsibility from institutions to students. Keisha Bross, director of race and justice at the NAACP, noted that student groups have historically filled gaps left by universities. However, she stressed that this history should not absolve institutions of their duties.
“We cannot allow colleges to make these really traumatic decisions that are hurting student populations and their leadership, and then just say, ‘Oh well,’” Bross commented. She argued that universities must be held accountable for serving all their students.
Harlan Jackson echoed this sentiment, observing that the new laws have “put more burden on the students.” At the same time, he sees a silver lining in the real-world experience students are gaining in leadership, budgeting, and community organizing. The challenge, as he sees it, is for these new student- and alumni-led models to create sustainable structures that can support future generations.
