""It used to be a very inclusive office, welcoming of a lot of people," he said of his former workplace. "It used to be a space where anyone feeling alone, or anyone feeling like they weren't seen, could go to be recognized and fit into a group or an organization where they could speak their mind peacefully ... There was a really big loss of community.""
"His job at the office was to help fund student programs related to social justice issues-"some would say, divisive concepts," he said-and student groups' cultural events, but the university won't pay for that work anymore."
A 2024 Alabama law banning diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives prompted major changes at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. University leaders replaced the DEI office with an Office of Access and Engagement and renamed the Student Multicultural and Diversity Programs Office. The Social Justice Advocacy Council was demoted to a student group, and funding for social justice programming and cultural events was cut. A student club supporting Latino students lost university funding, increasing isolation for members. Miguel Luna and colleagues joined a lawsuit challenging the law, but a federal judge declined to block the legislation; plaintiffs are considering further legal options.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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