Editor’s note: This is a developing story

Over the summer, Wake Forest University closed its Office of Diversity (ODI). 

On August 8, Vice President José Villalba, the former head of the ODI, announced that the office would be shutting down operations, and the three identity centers, the LGBTQ+, Intercultural and Women’s center, would transition to the Office of Campus Life. 

Several universities have come under heavy fire for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) during the Trump administration, which released a series of executive orders targeting diversity efforts, specifically in higher education. 

In an email to the Old Gold & Black, Villalba attributed some of this change to the series of executive orders that targeted DEI. Villalba also cited the fact that once the identity centers moved to campus life, the ODI had a reduced impact on campus.

When questioned about the impact of the federal government on the decision to close the office, Villalba was specific. 

“I can say that federal decisions (which include the EO from January 21st, the Dear Colleague letter from February 14th, the NIH Grant Position Statement from April 28th, and the DOJ Memo from July 29th… in addition to federal decisions to investigate and sue universities) influenced our decisions,” Villalba said. 

Re-envisioning the office 

In March, the University affirmed DEI as one of its Institutional Commitments. 

However, two months later, on May 15, Villalba sent a broadcast message titled, “Re-envisioning Inclusive Excellence at Wake Forest.” — 16 days after the last day of class for students. In the message, he detailed that the ODI would “re-envision” the mission of the office over the summer, which previously housed several programs, including the three identity centers.

“Over the coming summer months, I will lead a collaborative effort to consider the best ways to support all of our students, staff, and faculty,” Villalba’s message read. 

Villalba stated to the Old Gold & Black that the re-envisioning was in collaboration with 20 Wake Forest community members and 24 peer institutions. 

“The range of opinions and ideas was broad. But there were two key takeaways: (1) make sure that Wake Forest does all it can to support students via the work of the three centers; and (2) encourage all students and staff to connect with each other and to feel as if they are part of the Wake Forest community,” Villalba said. “Ultimately, these conversations, the feedback these individuals provided, and the data we gathered and analyzed informed and influenced the decisions we made.”

Identity centers on campus 

The LGBTQ+ Center, Women’s Center and Intercultural Center have all moved under the division of campus life. 

In an email with the Old Gold & Black, Shea Kidd Brown, the vice president for campus life, spoke about this transition.  

“Given their work with students and Campus Life’s broad role in shaping the student experience, this change creates an opportunity for us to work more collaboratively on behalf of our students,” Kidd Brown said. “In partnership, we will carefully evaluate what is working and opportunities to continue to evolve our work in a way that centers our students.”

Kidd Brown also spoke to the pressures from the federal government on higher education. 

“We are committed to delivering a transformative student experience where all matter and belong while remaining in compliance with federal guidelines. This includes identifying areas of risk and vulnerability, particularly given various federal memos and executive orders that speak directly to higher education practices,” Kidd Brown said.