Keene State College has been no exception to state-issued rollbacks on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives as a result of state laws passed and executive orders signed by President Donald Trump that target DEI programs.
Over the summer, Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed a budget bill that barred public entities from “implementing, promoting, or otherwise engaging in any diversity, equity, and inclusion related initiatives, programs, training, or policies.”
As a result, KSC renamed its Office of Student Diversity, Belonging and Equity (OSDBE) to Office of Community and Belonging (OCB) and took down certain webpages to prevent a review of their programs and policies.
Both Nina Zienkiewicz, the coordinator of student support at OCB and Dottie Morris, the associate vice president of community and belonging, said the change was an institutional decision.
Zienkiewicz said the office’s renaming would not affect the work they do. “It was an adaptation to house bills that were released so we could maintain funding for the school. There was this whole thing of, ‘if you have this in the title, we’re taking funding,’ but I wasn’t a part of that bigger conversation,” Zienkiewicz said.
Over the last year, many TRIO programs in New Hampshire and Vermont had their funding withheld or cut. It was previously stated by Adam Keese, director of Keene State’s TRIO Programs, that TRIO programs suffered nationwide due to Title IV.
“If you combine all of the cuts between TRIO and GEAR UP [Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs], that’s like over 5,000 students that just lost services, over thirty people who just lost their jobs. It’s pretty devastating, and these programs are in a lot of school districts that are in really bad shape to begin with,” Keese said in a previous Equinox article.
Despite issues at the federal level, many Keene State students remain supportive of DEI programs.
“I think [DEI] educates everybody on why we need to have a diverse community, and how we can treat people equitably,” said junior Ava Moore.
“DEI is super important,” said junior Sarah Stagg. “It sets a standard for making sure everybody feels they belong and that they’re getting the resources they need to be successful.”
“Dear Colleague” was a directive of the U.S. Department of Education aimed at shutting down DEI programs throughout the nation. “Dear Colleague” stated that institutions that failed to comply with federal civil rights law would face the possibility of losing federal funding.
On Feb. 18, the “Dear Colleague” directive was deemed invalid, according to an article by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). This was a result of the lawsuit filed last year by the ACLU with support from the organization’s state chapter, the National Education Association of New Hampshire, and other education associations nationwide.
First-year Sam Cusumano, the Interfraternity Council academic and belonging chair, said he believes belonging and DEI go hand in hand.
“DEI is important for everyone,” he said. “It’s not ‘Oh let’s hire this person over this person,’ it’s making sure everybody is being inclusive and not permitting any form of discrimination against people. It’s one of the best things we can do and keep [at Keene State] right now.”
As described by Morris, Keene State has remained a “beautiful community where people feel safe to be who they are without fear of retaliation.”
In addition to her position with the OCB, Morris is a member of the Commission for Community and Belonging. According to her, the commission is a “combination of people from different areas across campus who have an interest in co-creating an environment that is rich for everyone.”
On Feb. 13, the commission held a meeting that featured an open discussion where a member expressed concerns regarding recent immigration issues.
“People got their feelings out based on what they’ve been hearing and seeing and how the commission can support individuals with concerns. We talked about the upcoming events we’re planning, one being a series called ‘Keene is Curious.’”
Morris also serves on KSC Interim President Don Birx’s cabinet, supporting various offices around campus.
Morris said she feels OCB and the Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) are often misunderstood. She said the college’s departments are not intended for certain demographics or percentages, but as support systems for all students.
Zienkiewicz said both JEDI and OCB’s priorities are connection. “We want to make sure we’re encouraging students to be connected with both resources and each other,” she said.
Morris said that despite the name change, OCB is still reflective of what JEDI wants to build. “It’s not about excluding anybody. It’s about having us be more intentional about how we do things to enable our students to thrive.”
Both Morris and Zienkiewicz are advisors to student groups such as the Feminist Collective, Jewish Student Union, Black Student Union, KSC Pride and the Global Cultural Club. Advising entails advocacy for the group’s needs as well as co-planning and co-sponsoring events.
“We’re trying to make sure students have the experience on campus that allows them to grow to their full potential,” said Morris. “That can mean different things, but it’s for all 3,000 students, all faculty and employees, all of us, regardless of the social identities we hold. It’s not an either-or, it’s a both-and.”
Samantha Menard can be contacted at
