CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WRIC) — The University of Virginia’s (UVA) Board of Visitors voted to “dissolve the college’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Community Partnerships,” according to a press release from the governor’s office.
In a March 7 press release, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) praised UVA for this move, which he said was a vote for “common sense.”
“DEI is done at the University of Virginia,” Youngkin said in the release. “We stand for the universal truth that everyone is created equal, and opportunity is at the heart of Virginians’ and Americans’ future.”
Per Youngkin, UVA’s Board of Visitors unanimously approved a resolution which “requires that all [UVA] programs, policies, practices and actions in every regard comply with the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal civil rights laws.”
Within 30 days, UVA president Jim Ryan will be required to provide the board with a report on the university’s progress towards compliance, as well as present any “substantial policy changes” for the board’s approval.
As of the time of reporting, UVA’s website on its programs relating to DEI remains online. Per that website, the UVA Division of DEI is — or was — made up of the Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, the Office of DEI and the Center for Community Partnerships. It is unclear, based on the wording in Youngkin’s press release, exactly which offices were impacted by the board’s resolution.
The mission statement of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, per UVA’s website, describes it as an office meant to “ensure equal opportunity and to protect the civil rights of all University community members through proactive outreach, education and effective response and resolution.”
The Center for Community Partnerships, as described by UVA, was created to “serve as both a front door to the University for community members and a collaborative space for UVA’s existing community efforts.”
8News reached out to UVA’s Board of Visitors to better understand the resolution and its impacts on the university, including whether or not any employees have or will be laid off due to offices being dissolved. We have not heard back as of the time of reporting.
As of Friday evening, UVA’s website lists 14 employees within the Division of DEI.
This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.
