Kentucky Students Stage Statewide Protests in Defense of DEI

Students at every public university in Kentucky are organizing a coordinated series of protests against recent state legislation, President Donald Trump’s U.S. Department of Education directives, and university administrations that have preemptively complied with anti-DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) measures. The demonstrations, collectively called the “Day of DEI,” will take place today across multiple campuses.

The student-led coalition, Kentucky Students for DEI, asserts that these actions are necessary to push back against legislative and institutional efforts to dismantle DEI programs.House Bill 4, introduced earlier this month, aims to restrict diversity-related curriculum, defund DEI initiatives, and dissolve existing DEI offices across the state’s public universities. Although the bill has yet to advance in the state legislature, some institutions have already taken steps to eliminate DEI programs. The University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University disbanded their DEI offices last year, while the University of Louisville recently removed online content from its Office of Institutional Equity.

“We want to show the nation that Kentuckians refuse to be passive victims of hateful political attacks on higher education,” Savannah Dowell, a student organizer at the University of Louisville, said in a statement.

The demonstrations are set to take place at:

• University of Kentucky – 5 p.m. EST outside William T. Young Library
• University of Louisville – 12 p.m. EST outside Swain Student Activities Center
• Eastern Kentucky University – 12 p.m. EST at Turner Gate
• Morehead State University – 12 p.m. EST at the Bell Tower
• Northern Kentucky University – 10 a.m. EST at various locations, 12 p.m. at Student Union Plaza
• Kentucky State University – 5 p.m. EST outside the Student Center
• Western Kentucky University – 12 p.m. CST outside Downing Student Union
• Murray State University – 12 p.m. CST at the Free Speech Zone

Organizers argue that DEI programs provide crucial support for marginalized communities, enrich academic environments, and prepare students for an increasingly diverse workforce. They warn that House Bill 4 could impose financial burdens on universities by allowing lawsuits against institutions accused of violating its provisions, which could ultimately lead to higher costs for students.

“As students and citizens of Kentucky, we officially and formally condemn HB 4,” the coalition stated, emphasizing their belief that public universities have a responsibility to uphold DEI policies that reflect the needs of their diverse student bodies.