Inside Higher Ed
by Josh Moody
April 22, 2022
When news that Point Park University was shutting down its Office of Equity and Inclusion trickled out, reactions were mixed. Students were critical and worried that vital services might vanish. Meanwhile, conservative news websites and right-wing media figures celebrated.
“Pennsylvania University SHUTS DOWN Woke Office of ‘Equity and Inclusion,’” read a headline that Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative student organization Turning Point USA, posted on his website. Other conservative sites followed suit, declaring the office closure a culture war victory.
Despite such reactions, the reality is more technical and boring. While the Office of Equity and Inclusion as it currently exists is going away, the work it does will carry on, according to university officials. In fact, they say the plan is to pump more resources into a restructured office.