Students of Boise State University received an email with the subject line “Student Connections and Support Center” on Tuesday, Dec. 10. This message contained information about the launch of the new campus unit dedicated to “student community building and support” and announced the closure of the Gender Equity and Student Equity Centers on campus.
The sudden announcement came amidst heated conversations in Idaho regarding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within higher education.
Although the State Board of Education trustees had not yet made a decision on a resolution regarding DEI, Idaho State University preemptively dissolved their DEI center and programs on Nov. 14 — and Boise State University followed suit.
On Nov. 17, the University of Idaho (UI) announced to students and staff that they would be closing their DEI centers by the end of the semester. This decision was backpedaled only five days later, with UI stating they do not want to “act too quickly”.
Events leading up to the change
In an email to the student body, administrators said “We closed the Gender Equity and Student Equity Centers on Nov. 29, 2024. We want to acknowledge the staff members who have worked in these Centers over the last few decades and have impacted the lives of thousands of students — helping them achieve graduation and their academic and personal goals — and provided key development opportunities to our staff, faculty and extended community.”
The Arbiter found that both of the centers’ websites listed a “404 page not found” as early as Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.
Avery Sterling, a junior majoring in Anthropology and Interdisciplinary Studies, said he and his friends utilized the centers regularly over the past three years.
“The first I heard about [the closure] was over email, which I’m pretty sure was the way most people first heard about it,” Sterling said. “I had no idea that we were going to do that as a university — it caught me completely off guard.”
Sterling said his immediate reaction to the news was “shock, anger and confusion”.
Andru Davis, a freshman majoring in Mathematics and Secondary Education, was first introduced to the Student Equity Center at his Boise State orientation.
“I’m from Utah originally, and it’s kind of hard to find people that share your same interests and can understand your culture as well,” Davis said. “[At the Student Equity Center] I was able to find that.”
Davis said that he became immediately interested after hearing that the center had a job opening.
He is now the program assistant for the Student Connections and Support Center’s First Forward program, a resource to provide first-generation students with support.
Upon hiring, Davis was given prior notice about the fate of the Gender Equity and Student Equity Centers.
“When I got hired, [the centers’ branding] was going to be changed the month after,” Davis said. “They were like ‘This is going to be the new name, and we’re gonna change it by the end of Thanksgiving break.’ I knew it was going to be changed — but when I started working there it was the Student Equity Center.”
When asked if the name change was a decision made by the centers or Boise State University, Davis described the decision as a “university encouragement”.
“I don’t think any of us wanted to change it, but the university asked us to, so that’s what happened,” Davis said. “I think there definitely will be more changes moving forward, depending on what the university wants and how we want our space to be. I think our goal has been the same and will stay the same, but it might have to be adjusted to appease the eyes of those above us because that’s just how it has to work out.”
The Gender Equity and Student Equity Centers has not responded to The Arbiter’s request for comment regarding the timeline of these changes.
Student Connections and Support Center
The Student Connections and Support Center is a new campus unit dedicated to “student community building and support.” The office for the Student Connections and Support Center is located on the second floor of the Student Union building in room E2406, the same room the GEC and SEC once was located in.
The Student Connections and Support Center plans to launch a program next fall catered towards first-generation students, with a focus on academic and personal achievement.
The center plans to continue to offer crucial support services, such as confidential support and the no-cost Campus Clothing Closet.
Davis said that the majority of employees who worked for the GEC and SEC will continue to work for the Student Connections and Support Center.
“I believe a couple of people are moving around, but they’re doing the same job, they’ll just kind of be in a different department,” Davis said. “We still offer the same things and we have the same support and resources — we still have the same goal — [the new name] is the only difference. I don’t think us being able to support BIPOC or the queer community will change.”
What’s in a name?
Kate Steven was the program coordinator for Boise State University’s Gender Equity Center from 2013 to 2017.
During that time, Steven witnessed the Women’s Center become the Gender Equity Center — a name more fitting for the use of the space.
“Even when the center was called the Women’s Center, we were never just for women. The purpose of changing the name was to really encompass what the center was doing,” Steven said. “[The Gender Equity Center] really felt like a part of the fabric of university culture. Seeing a change like this happen felt impossible at the time. After the presidential election, I am not as surprised, but this is definitely not the trajectory that was happening.”
Steven considered the university’s decision to dissolve the GEC and SEC centers a “step backward” for Boise State.
“I think the university knew that the amount of student, faculty and staff support for these offices would have been a big fight — there would have been lots of people advocating for keeping these centers open. I think they wanted to do it quickly and quietly so that it would be harder to roll back on,” Steven said. “It was a missed opportunity to engage with students, faculty and staff — regardless of the outcome. The way that it happened is counter to what a university should be doing.”
Steven stressed that with a generalized name such as the Student Connections and Support Center, students thinking about utilizing the center face barriers and lose the ability to build camaraderie and connect within the space.
Steven also noted that it may cause students of specific identities to feel uneasy about utilizing confidential support services.
“There’s nothing for students to connect with if they’re looking for one-on-one support. How can a student know whatever they’re experiencing will be handled by a provider who is skilled, knowledgeable and experienced in dealing and working around [specific topics]? Not all counselors, therapists and support individuals at a college campus or in a college environment are necessarily skilled in different identities,” Steven said.
The future of DEI beyond Boise State
On Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, The Idaho State Board of Education unanimously voted on a resolution to abolish DEI offices from public universities in Idaho. The final resolution states that institutions “shall not establish or maintain a central office, policy, procedure or initiative that promotes DEI ideology”.
DEI ideology is defined by the Idaho State Board of Education as “any approach that prioritizes ‘personal identity characteristics’ (race, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion or gender identity) over individual merit”.
These resolutions will be implemented at all state universities by June 30, 2025, at the latest. It is still unclear what the long term impact of these closures will be on public universities in Idaho.
