The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa closed the Black Student Union, as well as queer resource center Safe Zone in late August. The decision comes after the state passed legislation prohibiting public universities from giving resources to diversity, equity and inclusion programs in March.
“It feels terrible, like there is no place to go,” Cierra Gilliam, a student who was interested in becoming involved with BSU, told the Associated Press. “They ripped all the signage and things down, and there is nothing left.”
The Black Student Union offered students resources for trips to the airport and Black hair salons — which provided a sense of community at a predominantly white institution.
“You don’t realize how assuring a space like that is until it’s gone,” student Rowan Aldridge said about the importance of Safe Zone for the LGBTQ+ community on campus. “And it doesn’t make me feel optimistic about the direction this school is going in if they’re willing to make decisions like this.”
View this post on Instagram
Safe Zone has staff positions, which were held by several students. The center provided counseling and served as a liaison for students and the administration.
“I’m a senior student who is trying to get my degree and pay my rent and make my money,” Queer Student Association president Bryce Schottelkotte told the AP. “I care very much about QSA, but I just don’t have the time or ability to focus every single thing in my day on QSA.”
“The University will continue to provide resources and support to every member of our campus community,” Alex House, the University of Alabama’s associate director of communications, told the AP in a statement.
View this post on Instagram
Similar decisions over DEI regulations are happening across the U.S. As Blavity reported, a Black student group at the University of Missouri was forced to rename its annual Welcome Black BBQ event in late August because the school wanted it “to reflect that our campus is open and welcoming to all,” according to a spokesperson for the university.
The Tuscaloosa chapter of the NAACP noted the enduring importance of organizations like the Black Student Union on university campuses.
“In Tuscaloosa and across Alabama, organizations like BSU play a critical role in continuing the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement,” Tuscaloosa NAACP chapter president Lisa Young told the AP.
“Even though we did lose our space, we want to say it does not define us. It just means that we’re going to have to work harder as a community,” Black Student Union president Jordan Stokes said.
“I don’t think a lot of people really understand or know how much the BSU office meant to so many students, and how many relationships formed and how many people went through the university and went on to graduate,” she added. “I don’t think the lawmakers really understand that.”
