Three of Wichita State’s annual commencement events, Multicultural Graduation Celebration, Lavender Graduation and First-Generation Cord Ceremony, will not be held this spring.
“I think it’s incredibly unfair to take away the opportunity for a group to be recognized and has put forth a lot of avocation into the community to not get recognized for this graduation year,” Lily Wilson, a sophomore psychology major and Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies’ social media/marketing manager, said.
In previous years, these events were held to celebrate diversity in Wichita State’s graduating classes. Due to rollbacks on DEI from the federal and state governments, WSU canceled them.
Last month, Provost Monica Lounsbery said in a letter that WSU is “out of compliance” with federally issued expectations for educational institutions. In an interview with The Sunflower, Lounsbery said WSU had “exclusive opportunities for some students to enjoy celebrations and that exclude others.” She suggested that WSU create celebrations that include everyone.
Instead of individual ceremonies, some aspects of the events will be incorporated into another yearly event called The Toast.
“I mean, it’s better than nothing, but ultimately it takes away the pride each group gets to have in their culture and their beliefs,” Wilson said. “I think it takes away the key point of why each group has their own celebration and diminishes the meaning that comes with them.”
WSU’s Director of Strategic Communication Lainie Mazzullo-Hart said in an email that students will still be able to receive cords at The Toast and “can continue to express their cultural and academic backgrounds at commencement.”
Some legislation that has recently passed prohibiting DEI in colleges includes an executive order from the federal government, “ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferences,” and the “Dear Colleague” letter. Kansas legislators have also passed bills like HB 2105, which prohibits universities from considering DEI for admissions and hiring.
“I know that there’s only so much WSU can do at this point because it’s kind of what the government says, goes,” Wilson said. “I think them having an event for these groups, even though they’re combining them, is showing that they’re trying, but it really is very hard on the groups.”
Student groups like Spectrum are still holding smaller events for members who are graduating this spring. Spectrum’s last general meeting of the year will consist of highlighting graduating seniors with a picnic, a guest speaker and giving out scholarships.
“While we can’t have an actual graduation for them, we do want to recognize them and that they’ll be moving on,” Wilson said. “I think it sucks that we can’t have our graduation, but what we’re trying to do is the best we can and I think it’s good that we’re allowed to do what we can do.”
Wilson said that it’s unfortunate that groups on campus don’t get to be celebrated in the ways they should be and that these types of federal rollbacks on DEI are affecting groups like Spectrum, Black Student Union and the Hispanic American Leadership Organization. They said first-generation students and veterans are also feeling those effects.
“It’s an honor to identify with who you are and your cultures,” Wilson said. “It’s really unfortunate that these groups are not being able to be celebrated the way that they’re supposed to be.”
