Alabama universities shutter DEI offices, open new programs, to comply with new state law

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The three University of Alabama System campuses on Tuesday shuttered diversity, equity and inclusion offices— and opened new offices — to comply with a new Republican-backed law attempting to ban the programs on public college campuses in the state.

The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, along with the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama in Huntsville, issued statements announcing the closure of diversity, equity and inclusion offices of each campus and the creation of a new university division or office. Each university said the change was made to comply with the new state law.