Ceremonies for Black, LGBTQ, and first-generation graduates will no longer be part of the official graduation calendar.
In a statement, the university said elimination of the UK-hosted events outside of the larger graduation ceremonies is meant to align the school with new federal and state policies and directives, which have uprooted programs with any links to DEI, or diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The move is just the latest in a series of changes prompted by state and federal crackdowns on DEI. Most notably, the school has disbanded its Office for Institutional Diversity and broken ties with a business-related non-profit called The Ph.D Project, hoping to satisfy a federal civil rights investigation.
Here's the UK statement:
“Following a number of federal and state policy changes and directives, the university will no longer host identity-based or special-interest graduation celebrations. In the past, these were held outside of our official commencement ceremonies as an optional celebration and social event. We will continue to comply with the law, while celebrating all students and their distinctive achievements at our official commencement ceremonies.”