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Wake Forest University closes Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Wait Chapel
AMY DIAZ/WFDD
Wake’s Intercultural Center, LGBTQ+ Center, and Women’s Center will now operate under the Division of Campus Life.

Wake Forest University is shutting down its Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Former Chief Diversity Officer José Villalba announced the move in a message to students and faculty.

Wake’s Intercultural Center, LGBTQ+ Center, and Women’s Center will now operate under the Division of Campus Life. Villalba said the centers will remain “hubs for learning and community” while complying with guidance from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education.

Villalba will now serve as vice president and special advisor to Susan Wente, Wake Forest’s president.

"These are complex matters, and we are not alone in addressing them, as similar work unfolds across the higher education landscape," Villalba wrote. "Thank you for your continued support and patience as we navigate these changes."

The closure comes as the Trump administration withholds federal funding from some universities that don’t align with its stance on diversity programs.

April Laissle is a senior reporter and editor at WFDD. Her work has been featured on several national news programs and recognized by the Public Media Journalists Association and the Radio Television Digital News Association. Before joining WFDD in 2019, she worked at public radio stations in Ohio and California.