Morrisey praises WVU for closing DEI unit as changes begin; MU audits initiatives

According to the email, the new unit will be named the “Division of Campus Engagement and Compliance.� It will focus on “ensuring the University adheres to federal and state guidance and fulfilling the needs of our campus community, including compliance with Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act which is its primary focus,� WVU said in the email.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey praised WVU on Friday after it announced Thursday the closure of its DEI division and plans to replace it with the new unit.

The decision followed ²Ñ´Ç°ù°ù¾±²õ±ð²â’s Executive Order No. 3-25, directing that no department, agency, board or other entity receiving state funds can use taxpayer money or state property to grant or support DEI positions, activities, procedures or programs.

²Ñ´Ç°ù°ù¾±²õ±ð²â’s executive order defines DEI as including “any effort to promote differential treatment of or provide special benefits to individuals on the basis or race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin.â€�

“Several weeks ago, I came to you during my inaugural address to talk about how we needed to eradicate the woke virus in the schools,� Morrisey said in the video posted to X. “Well, after this executive order, I’m pleased to report that there’s some good news on this front. Today, West Virginia University announced that it was eliminating its Division of DEI. This is a big win for the Mountain State.�

Morrisey said in the video that he feels the executive order was important because “we don’t want special preferences unlawfully benefitting one group over another — race, color, age, ethnicity. We have to make sure we’re taking steps to treat everyone the same under the law.�

But WVU’s DEI division had different functions, including connecting students and staff with training, therapy dogs and yearly events, like “The Kindness Campaign,� promoting acts of kindness, according to its website. It also offered a place where students and staff could go to access resources and reporting involving Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Youth Protection and the Civil Rights Act.

The office also provided peer advocates and headed the “It’s On Us� campaign at the university, to raise awareness about sexual violence. The “Chancellor’s Scholars Program� worked to increase recruitment and retention of doctoral students from underrepresented communities, according to the WVU DEI website, which was still active as of press time Friday.

WVU Executive Director of Communications April Kaull said in an email, “Students should see few changes. West Virginia University remains a welcoming community open to all.�

A request by HD Media for more information could not be granted at this time, Kaull said.

“The newly created WVU Division of Campus Engagement and Compliance, led by Vice President Meshea Poore, will continue to ensure the University is following federal and state guidance and fulfilling the needs of our campus community, including compliance with Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is its primary focus,� she continued.

Kaull said in the email the university would work internally with units campus-wide while evaluating the specifics of the executive order, after which she said it will have a better understanding of the effects of the changes.

WVU LGBTQ+ Center

Julia Myers, program specialist at the LGBTQ+ Center at WVU and an alumna, said the center was unsure how the order would affect it, since it is under the Provost’s Office, rather than the DEI division, but she’s “hopeful.�

“I think that right now, the administration hasn’t shown us that they are not supportive. We’ve just moved to a more central location. We have more services and programs lined up. And I think Morgantown and WVU especially have always been ... it’s a place where you can come and, generally, you’re safe and you can find support,� Myers said.

Myers was referring to the center’s more recent move into the WVU Mountainlair student union.

The LGBTQ+ Center, according to Myers, receives a lot of its funding from WVU but also accepts donations. She said the center is an academic unit and a resource for students and employees.

She said the center is used as a confidential resource for Title IX, it designs programs to help educate and works with “different departments all around the university to make this someplace that is friendly and welcoming, and our main purpose here is to serve the students.�

The DEI division at WVU also hosted a multicultural graduation in the weeks before May graduation ceremonies to highlight culture and “celebrate the diversity of our graduating classes,� according to the website. While it is unclear if this would still happen now that it has been closed, Myers said she is still planning a Lavender graduation, to recognize LGBTQ+ students and allies.

“I think that there’s a lot of unrest in the community right now,� Myers said, “and people generally don’t know which way this is going to go.�

Marshall University

So far, Marshall University has shut down several of its webpages with DEI information, including the President’s Commission on DEI webpage, but the university is otherwise still reviewing its programs and materials to ensure compliance, according to the most recent update from Director of Communication Leah Payne.

When asked for another update, Payne said in an email, “While WVU had a division dedicated to DEI, Marshall does not have a special unit. Our initiatives have been structured differently across the institution. In terms of an update, I anticipate something next week on the university’s progress in this area.�

On Jan. 24, Payne provided an emailed response to HD Media’s question of where Marshall was in changing its DEI policies and initiatives in compliance with the executive order:

“Several executive orders have been entered on both the federal and state level. Considering these orders, including those related to DEI, our legal and government relations teams are conducting a thorough review to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations. As part of this process, we are undertaking a comprehensive audit of some university materials, including internal and external-facing websites, to ensure the accuracy and currency of all information.�