Utica University students returned this fall to find one of the school’s most visible offices restructured with little explanation. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), once led by former Vice President Anthony Baird, has been rebranded as the Office of Community Belonging and Engagement, now directed by longtime staff member Kira Maddox.
President Todd Pfannestiel said the change is about broadening scope, not cutting back.
“First of all, the dedicated office has not disappeared,” he said. “We made the decision to rebrand what we’re doing here. So, it has not gone away. It is now being called the Office of Community Belonging and Engagement.”
Pfannestiel argued the shift reflects student and staff concerns that the term “DEI” felt narrow.
“What people most want is to understand: How do I belong at this university?” he said. “The ‘B’ is really a critical piece for everybody.” He added that popular events like the Unity Walk and diversity banquet will continue, with hopes of expanding them.
However, some student leaders say the bigger problem is communication. Student Government Association President Evelyn Enriquez said she only learned of the restructuring informally over the summer.
“The elimination of the DEI office was never formally communicated to me as the Student Government Association president,” Enriquez said.
She later raised the issue directly with Pfannestiel, who told her an official email had been drafted but never sent due to a miscommunication within his office. According to Enriquez, Pfannestiel promised a September 1 announcement.
“To be quite frank, I don’t think an email would’ve gone out at all if the question was never posed to him,” she said.
Enriquez emphasized that the Student Government was excluded from the decision. “There’s a common misconception that Student Government is involved in or informed about all major decisions made by the administration,” she said. “This is simply not true. We were not part of this decision and had no say in the process.”
For student activist Xavier Moore, the issue cuts deeper than a missed announcement.
“Students are confused, frustrated, and honestly concerned for the future of Utica’s values,” Moore said. “The administration never posted Dr. Baird in the ‘comings and goings’ and still has yet to make an announcement about his dismissal and the removal of the office. The communication has only worsened since last semester and that is a cause for concern.”
Moore argued the restructuring signals a lack of commitment to underrepresented students.
“The removal of a department tasked with ensuring every voice is heard means that as a community of underrepresented voices, we need to organize ourselves to amplify our voices and support each other,” he said.
He also criticized what he described as a “horrendous history of bad communication” from the administration.
“It won’t be a one-off town hall where all the answers are PR-curtailed nor an email to fix this,” Moore said. “We need honesty about our financial status and decisions that will end up impacting everyone.”
Pfannestiel maintains that the university’s values remain intact.
“I see it as strong as it’s been over the past 12 months,” Pfannestiel said. “We live it in the classroom, in our events, in how we welcome students. But I think we could do a better job of visibility. We need to brag about the way we live this and make sure people outside this campus see it.”
