Alabama University Drops Diversity Programs

0:00The University of Alabama is pulling the plug on several race and gender-based programs to follow a new state law from 2024 called Senate Bill 129. This bill bans public colleges from pushing diversity, equity, and inclusion stuff that favors people by race or sex. Over the last year, they've closed libraries, renamed centers, and suspended publications all to stay in line. They shut down the Francis S. Somersale Library, which covered women's LGBTQ history gender studies and race topics. The Queer History South program went offline too, and the Women and Gender Resource Center got a new name, the Chameleon Center, back in May. University reps say the core services like support for violence prevention and wellness programs are still running the same. Students and staff might feel the shift, but the school suspended two magazines, 1956 and Alice, for focusing too much on identity groups. They also drop requirements for student clubs to list gender identity protections in their

1:00rules after pushback from lawmakers and groups. It's part of a bigger wave hitting colleges statewide amid legal fights over these initiatives. A bunch of targeted programs got hit hard, like women in STEM housing, through the Delta Initiative, plus race-specific ones such as Bridge and Lucy's. Lengacy. Those last two are restructuring under one shared management to keep some cooperation going, and Bridge might get relisted later with approvals. Overall Alabama's leading the charge in trimming back these efforts while keeping essential services alive and universities everywhere are watching. Clothes as policies keep evolving, I'm Cory with the story. That's your Birmingham News today update, AI-powered and always on.