LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Dozens of University of Louisville students and staff held a demonstration Monday in opposition to legislation that would ban diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives on college campuses. 

What You Need To Know

  • Senate Bill 6 would ban diversity, equity and inclusion policies on college campuses

  • It heads back to the Senate after passing in the House Friday with more restrictive language

  • Students and staff at UofL held a demonstration against anti-DEI bills

  • Around 50 people participated

Several people spoke about the impact taking away DEI would have, and how it would negatively affect several groups of people. 

“The fact still stands that we are and we should be allowed to be on campus, and these bills are 100% trying to get rid of us. And it’s just absolutely despicable. It is,” Carlie Reeves, a UofL Senior who helped organize the gathering, said. 

The group first gathered at the student center before marching across campus to the administration building. Some feel the university president Kim Schatzel has not been enough of a supporter of DEI during a time when state lawmakers seek to remove it. 

“We just want to hear that our faculty and staff will still have jobs here if this is passed. We want to hear that our Cultural and Equity Center will still be here and we will not close down,” Alexandria Underwood, president of the UofL Graduate Student Council said. 

Last week, as students at UofL were on Spring Break, the Kentucky House passed Senate Bill 6. The bill now includes several provisions of a similar bill that is broader-reaching than SB 6 initially was. It now goes back to the Senate for concurrence before being sent to the governor for action.

Among other things, SB 6 bars support for DEI innovates, DEI offices, and scholarship eligibility based solely on race, gender or sex. 

The bill now heads back to the Senate for concurrence before going to the governor. Should Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., veto SB 6, the Republican-controlled legislature has the power to override it. 

In a statement released Monday morning to UofL students, President Schatzel and other university leaders outlined their support for DEI, saying in part “We cannot, without equivocation, support any legislation that limits the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in support of our highest priority—success for ALL University of Louisville students by completing their degrees.“

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