University of Nebraska-Lincoln closing diversity, inclusion office

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln announced it will be closing its diversity and inclusion office as it changes up its executive leadership team.

Chancellor Rodney Bennett said the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will be dissolved and the positions associated with it eliminated, although there is not a set timeline for the move just yet.

“We will reimagine how we approach this work at UNL,” Bennett said in a statement. “I fully grasp the weight of this decision and its implications, but a centralized approach to this work is no longer right for our institution.”

The tasks of the diversity office will be split between the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor, the Office of Business & Finance and the Office of Student Life. The Diversity Advisory Board will turn into the Chancellor’s Advisory Board on Community and Belonging. 

“These offices will closely coordinate with each other and with Colleges and support units to ensure that each member of our campus community knows that they are valued and supported,” Bennett said. 

“Let me be unequivocal — we will steadfastly uphold the principle that every person and every interaction matters, and we will continue to recruit and support faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and identities,” he added.  

The move comes as other states have completely banned diversity offices from public universities such as Florida and Texas.