Five university presidents told Kentucky lawmakers today what their schools are and are not doing in the name of diversity, equity and inclusion, or what's commonly known as the E-I.

Our June Lefler has more in tonight's legislative update.

Some state House Republicans attempted to ban DTI on college campuses at the start of the year.

Since then, lawmakers have brought universities back to the Capitol for questioning on the practice.

First, we eliminated our Office for Institutional Diversity, the work of representing everyone needs to take place everywhere.

A Republican Questions If UK is really doing away with debt, I.

Think we look at things at a different level here, like diversity, equity and inclusion.

People understand the value of that, but it's the things that are taught within that bubble.

Some examples like victim ideology, microaggressions, intersectionality, which includes white privilege.

Some of the things you've talked about may be a subject of inquiry in a classroom, a fair debate, but it's not going to be part of trainings and things like that.

We do.

Some Democrats question if universities are caving to pressure at the state House.

Because from my perspective, the problem is the demonization of diversity, equity and inclusion programs by certain members of this body.

More than a quarter of U of L students are not white, but you have, as president says, the Office of Institutional Equity doesn't just look at race.

One of the first steps that we did when I came to campus was to change the name of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to the Office of Institutional Equity.

And that was in the fall of last year before the 2024 legislative session.

I might point out, why did we pick the name equity within that department?

Equity means no preference, no bias, no discrimination.

Institutional equity, where we feel all is all.

WQ, AQ and Murray State also spoke to lawmakers about their services to help all students succeed.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm June Leffler.

Thank you.

June UK and Northern Kentucky University have closed their diversity offices and are making other adjustments.

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System, home to 16 colleges and more than 70 campuses across the state, is in the process of examining its D-I programs.